Understanding the Israel-Hamas War

Source: Sri Lanka Guardian
Author: Sri Lanka Guardian

Israel made a fundamental mistake: Its military, while competent and technologically savvy, has convinced the country that it is a bigger power than it is in reality.

Understanding why Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 requires an understanding of Hamas' fundamental goal: the creation of a Palestinian state. The group understood that the attack would all but necessitate a shift in Israel's national security strategy, but it likely believed that weakening the alliance that was coalescing around it - comprising Arab states such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia - made the risk worth it. Hamas further understood that it lacked the military capacity to defeat the Israeli military, so ahead of the attacks, it sought support from the Arab world. It's difficult to believe Hamas could have done this without Israel finding out, so it's likely that Israel did find out and dismissed its goal as impossible to achieve.