Without warning on Saturday, Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers attacked Israel by air, land and sea. Millions of Israelis in the country’s south awoke to the searing sound of incoming rockets.
With its increased leverage in this round, Hamas is likely to push harder for concessions on key issues, such as easing the blockade and winning the release of prisoners held by Israel.
What idiot wrote this? What leverage does Hamas have? They will be destroyed in this war.
EDIT: Israel has officially decided to destroy Hamas for good.
Fun fact, if the GWOT taught us anything, it's that you can't eradicate an ideology through military force unless you do a genocide. Funner fact, Israel has been doing a slow genocide for a while and this is the excuse they have to speed the process up.
Hamas has huge support in palestine, killing them will result in (more) civilian deaths and increase support further.
We all wish “militants” described them better. Israel can wipe out an organized military that attacks them, with minimal impact on civilians. However these terrorists hide among the civilians, forcing the civilian population into the war, whether they want toor not
When was the last time so many people died in a day? Or so many attackers crossed the border? Launched 5000 missiles? Kidnapped so many? These are all rather uncommon events; hence 'unprecedented'.
Since Palestine has bitten back after decades of abuse and thousands of people killed, wiping them off the map is completely and utterly justified now! Three cheers for israel!
the dispute around the sensitive Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and remains at the emotional heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
These two groups can't stop fighting because of compounds that are sacred to both. Maybe you can take it away from both of them like children that can't play nice with their toys, you take the toy away.
Blow this mosque up. Let them rebuild half of the property for Jewish, half for Muslim people or better yet build a community center aimed at joint Muslim Jewish peace.
Hamas claimed its fighters took several Israelis captive in the enclave, releasing gruesome videos of militants dragging bloodied soldiers across the ground and standing over dead bodies, some of them stripped to their underwear.
Hamas officials cited long-simmering sources of tension between Israel and the Palestinians, including the dispute around the sensitive Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and remains at the emotional heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In negotiations with Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations, Hamas has pushed for Israeli concessions that could loosen the 17-year blockade on the enclave and help halt a worsening financial crisis that has sharpened public criticism of its rule.
The eruption of violence comes at a difficult time for Israel, which is facing the biggest protests in its history over Netanyahu’s proposal to weaken the Supreme Court while he is on trial for corruption.
Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and exchanged fire numerous times since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority in 2007.
With its increased leverage in this round, Hamas is likely to push harder for concessions on key issues, such as easing the blockade and winning the release of prisoners held by Israel.
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With its increased leverage in this round, Hamas is likely to push harder for concessions on key issues
Seems like they just threw away whatever leverage they had by “taking the low road”. Who’s going to listen to them now? Who’s going to agree to any of their demands?
The eruption of violence comes at a difficult time for Israel, which is facing the biggest protests in its history over Netanyahu’s proposal to weaken the Supreme Court while he is on trial for corruption.