Politics
Israel faced a sustained attack on its territory as Hamas militants from Gaza breached the border and carried out a violent rampage. The death toll reached 1,200, with 260 casualties at a music festival. Hamas targeted and killed entire families, including infants, and survivors reported cases of rape before murder. The group also took numerous hostages, including children. The magnitude of the assault shocked the international community. The Israeli army recovered the bodies of 1,500 Hamas terrorists.
It took Israel three days to secure its border with Gaza, but Hamas continued to launch rocket attacks. As the Israeli army gathered forces for a major ground offensive, the air force heavily bombed the densely populated area. More than a thousand Gazans have already been killed, and 340,000 have fled their homes. Israel halted energy and water supplies until the release of its hostages. Violence also erupted in the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians. Hizbullah, an Iranian-backed militia, fired rockets from Lebanon, targeting Israel’s north.
Binyamin Netanyahu urged Israelis to prepare for a prolonged conflict. The prime minister, along with opposition leader Benny Gantz, formed an emergency government and a war-management cabinet that includes Gadi Eisenkot. Both Gantz and Eisenkot are former heads of the Israel Defence Forces. Netanyahu faced criticism for disregarding experienced military leaders while seeking support from far-right coalition partners. The new government pledged to alter the “strategic reality” of dealing with Hamas.
2023-10-12 09:04:45
Original from www.economist.com
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