Israeli, Palestinian ‘existential war’
The well-coordinated Hamas blitzkrieg involved a creative strategy of ground assault on the civilian populace, neutralizing any airstrikes that may kill hostages.
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The well-coordinated Hamas blitzkrieg involved a creative strategy of ground assault on the civilian populace, neutralizing any airstrikes that may kill hostages.
The never-ending biblical war between Israelis and Palestinians began thousands of years ago with Israelites versus Philistines.
Today, an "existential war" looms, to be utterly feared because it may end only after one of the two no longer "exists." Both sides have expressed 'death' for the other side for decades in the streets, parliaments, and media.
Already, there has been rapid escalation after day one of the Hamas invasion of Israel. A new proxy war unfolds. The US expressed support for Israel and Iran for Hamas. The US has sent a carrier with 5,000 troops to the region. There have been condemnations and support from many countries. There is an ongoing rapid polarization on both sides. The war promises to be bloody and protracted. The chances of a quick victory are slim, just like in Ukraine.
Israel labels it a "terrorist attack." But Israel is also guilty of "terrorist attacks" in the last 15 years. It is a biblical an-eye-for-an-eye stance of both sides. The death toll from 2008 to 2023 is 6,407 Palestinians vs 308 Israelis, and the injured 152,560 Palestinians versus 6,307 Israelis as of 31 August 2023, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Israel has been staging regular assaults on Gaza with impunity — 8 days in 2012, 50 days in 2014, which claimed the largest death toll of more than 2,000, and 11 days in 2021.
No one in Israel, from the government, military, and public, saw it coming because Israel has been over-confident in its vast superiority, casually killing Palestinians left and right with little resistance as 'normal' periodic military activities. Israel was blind to the seething accumulated anger percolating that would one day blow up on its face. That day has arrived. The MOSSAD is now in hot water for not knowing about the invasion.
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War experts say it is a David and Goliath affair in reverse. Hamas has no tanks, no warplanes, just light weapons and many rockets, which hit at random rather than specific targets. In terms of air superiority, the skies belong to Israel, yet their token retaliatory air strikes in Gaza, so far, have been just a psychological victory. It has not made a substantial dent in the invasion, breaching 27 border points in Gaza. Air strikes will kill both hostage takers and hostages on the ground.
The well-coordinated Hamas blitzkrieg involved a creative strategy of ground assault on the civilian populace, neutralizing any airstrikes that may kill hostages. It is a potential guerrilla hand-to-hand war.
According to reports from both sides, Hamas rockets, numbering 2,500 to 7,500 on day one of the invasion, have hit an ongoing music festival, killing about 260.
Hamas has killed or taken hostages of thousands, both civilians and soldiers, in military bases on day one. They have boldly taken over a military installation and are entering Israeli homes at will to kill or take hostages. Israeli airstrikes can kill civilians at will in retaliation to pressure Hamas to abandon hostage-taking, but it is too late for that now. Hamas still has the initiative.
So, the existential war promises to be bloody and protracted. Israel's global image of being "invincible" has been tainted. But its image of quick, effective retaliation lives on. Meanwhile, mass evacuation of Palestinian civilians is ongoing, but they say they have nowhere to go.
Meanwhile, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in danger of losing power caused by a coalition crisis with a potential splinter from supporters from the bloc of Ben Gvic, not to mention the fallout from the angered public, blaming him for the dire situation.
It is terrible timing, with the 6th elections in the last four years looming. An Israeli government crisis may turn the tide in favor of Hamas. However, opposition groups have promised support for Netanyahu.
The conflict is essentially in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, but it can escalate quickly into the West Bank, controlled by the Palestine Liberation Organization or PLO. The larger West Bank is not so affected, with only 12 deaths by day one of the invasion. But the 676 Palestinians killed in the West Bank this year alone, promises to catalyze a deeper escalation with a potential Hamas-PLO coalition.
