Why Did Hamas Attack Israel October 7th 2023?
Is it to soon to talk about why the Palestinians are still fighting?
AI Mode Conversation
You ask: What were the causes of the oct 7th attack on israel?
The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel was driven by a combination of immediate tactical goals and long-term strategic calculations: [ 1 ]
1. Immediate Objectives
- Releasing Palestinian Prisoners: Forcing Israel to negotiate the release of thousands of Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli jails. [ 1 ]
- Thwarting Regional Normalization: Disrupting advanced diplomatic efforts toward normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia (the Abraham Accords expansion), which Hamas and its allies viewed as sidelining the Palestinian cause. [ 1 ]
- Elevating the Palestinian Issue: Shifting global and regional attention back to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had faded amid other Middle Eastern developments. [ 1 , 2 ]
2. Strategic and Ideological Calculations
- The "Unity of the Arenas" Strategy: Hamas sought to connect multiple conflict zones—the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and regional proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon—so that pressure or violence in one arena would trigger coordinated actions across the others. [ 1 ]
- Perceived Military and Strategic Shift: Following prior escalations (such as the 2021 conflict Guardian of the Walls / Sword of Jerusalem ), Hamas leaders increasingly calculated that Israel could be directly challenged and that its long-term deterrence could be ruptured. [ 1 ]</span
- Religious Tensions: Escalating friction surrounding the status of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Temple Mount) was leveraged by Hamas to mobilize broader religious and nationalist fervor. [ 1 ]
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3. Intelligence and Systemic Vulnerabilities
- Israeli Security Miscalculations: An assessment by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point noted that the attack succeeded due to accumulated political and intelligence failures. Israeli leadership and intelligence misread Hamas's intent, operating under the assumption that Hamas had been deterred or contained, while heavily relying on technological surveillance rather than human intelligence. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Overlooked Warnings: Despite prior knowledge, detailed operational blueprints (such as the "Jericho Wall" plan), and tactical warnings from sources like Egyptian intelligence, preventive measures were not implemented in time. [ 1 , 2 ]
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Taylor & Francis Online
Full article: The Strategic Origins of Hamas’s October 7 Attack
The Strategic Origins of Hamas's October 7 Attack * Abstract. * Central Approaches to Terrorism Studies. * The Contours of the Strategic Infrastructure Underlyi...
Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Article is LOCKED by author/seeder
There is no "reason" for massacring civilians .
Amen!
Because they are animals. Not only did they attack but they committed hateful atrocities. And many of the people that did not commit the attack and atrocities cheered the ones that did.
No, they are cornered humans being irradiated like animals. How do cornered beings respond?
By raping, killing and throwing babies in ovens or cheering on the ones that did it?
How do people react to a group whose main goal in life is to irradicate those people?
That's a two way street. Goes both ways!
It does. Where has the Israeli government say they want to eradicate everyone that lives in Gaza?
Sorry, you can not legitimize what happened on Oct 7. End of story. The fact that this discussion is trying to, disgusts me.
It is totally disgusting.
I am not trying, I would not and could not begin to justify October 7th. It was horrific and inexcusable. That said, it is no different to explore why than to consider why Japan bombed Pearl Harbor or why Osama Bin Lauden bombed the twin towers. I will though take this down because the point is made. No topic should ever be forbidden. Give it ten minutes. I can admit when I am wrong. For the record though, I personally am mad at both sides regarding Gaza. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Atheists live together in peace in my NYC cooperative apartment building. If one group starts killing the others children I want to know why. Questions must be asked. Especially uncomfortable ones.
The October 7th attacks greatly harmed both the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people. Israel's response at this point is equally troubling. It did not spring from nothing. I will happen again if both sides do not compromise. It will happen again if the whys are not addressed.