Israel is fighting in the dark in Gaza
- Israel is considered a buffer of Western countries in Asia.
- The Jewish State is considered the protection against barbarism.
- The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas needs to be seen in this context.
- The death of more than 20000 people in Palestine including women and children have raised various questions on the credibility of International Institutions.
Israel’s Objectives
- Israel had two declared objectives when it launched the attack on Gaza.
- The stated objectives were to free hostages taken by Hamas and to "dismantle" Hamas.
- Additionally, there was an undeclared objective to rebuild Israel's deterrence.
- However, despite Israel's military capabilities, the goal of dismantling Hamas has not been achieved so far.
Asymmetric Wars
- Israel has not fought a conventional war in 50 years.
- In 1982, when it invaded Lebanon to push the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) out of the country,
- The previous war made Hezbollah strong in Lebanon.
- Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.
- October 7, 2023 attack is the deadliest cross-border attack since 1948.
- In the current war, Israel’s main narrative is that Hamas is like the Islamic State (IS).
- Just as the physical structures of the IS was destroyed, Israel wants Hamas to be destroyed as well.
What did Hamas achieve from the attack on Israel?
- The fundamental contradiction is Israel’s continuing occupation of the Palestinian territories.
- Hamas might be a terrorist outfit for Israel and its western allies, but for a vast majority of other regional actors, it is fighting Israel’s violent occupation.
- Hamas has a social and political cause - the liberation of Palestine - and is deeply entrenched in Palestinian society.
- This makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to dismantle Hamas through military means.
Hamas’s Goals
- This time, Hamas appears to be more prepared and planned for a long resistance against the Israelis.
- Hamas aims to deny Israel a quick military victory, believing it would be politically advantageous.
- The extended conflict puts stress on Israel's economy, exposes its weaknesses, and garners global condemnation for its actions in Gaza.
Conclusion
- If Israel's objective is to kill Palestinians and render Gaza uninhabitable, it is on track.
- However, if the goal is to eradicate Hamas, free hostages, and enhance deterrence, Israel is far from achieving those objectives.