Two years of barbarism

"The attack of October 7, 2023, was not a typical terrorist attack. I say this not only because of the death toll (1,195, plus 251 people taken hostage, many of whom subsequently died), a figure far higher than what terrorist acts usually produce, but above all because of how the operation was conceived and carried out. On October 7, a Palestinian force led by Hamas invaded and occupied Israeli territory, breaching the defensive barriers and the separation wall in Gaza."

"To do so, it had to mobilize more than 2,000 militants from the Al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), suffering around 1,600 casualties during the two days the attack lasted. An attack of this magnitude by a non-state force had never before occurred in Israel's history. An operation with such special characteristics must be understood as an act of war and not a terrorist attack. However, Hamas has never had the capacity to launch a sustained military confrontation with Israel."

"The October 7 attack, in reality, beneath its guise as a military action, was not intended primarily to start a full-scale war with Israel, but rather to demonstrate the vulnerability of the Zionist state, once again place the Palestinian cause at the center of world attention, and undermine the Abraham Accords, which represented Israel's recognition by numerous Arab countries. On the few occasions when Hamas has attempted to justify the October 7 attack, it has done so by citing two achievements."

"The first would be having brought the Palestinian issue into headlines around the world, becoming the most relevant global issue of our time. The second would have been provoking such a brutal and disproportionate response from Israel that it has sunk the country's reputation globally. Indeed, in the United States the nation that has always been the most vocal in its support of Israel a recent Pew Research Center survey showed that 59% of Americans have a negative opinion of the Israeli government"

The October 7 operation produced extremely high casualties and hostages, and breached Gaza's defensive separation, distinguishing it from typical terrorist attacks. The assault mobilized over 2,000 Al-Qassam Brigades militants and incurred roughly 1,600 militant casualties across two days, an unprecedented scale for a non-state force in Israel. The operation bears characteristics of an act of war rather than conventional terrorism. The action sought to expose perceived Israeli vulnerability, elevate the Palestinian cause internationally, and undermine the Abraham Accords. Hamas framed the attack as achieving global attention and provoking a reputational blow to Israel; U.S. opinion polls showed rising negativity toward the Israeli government.

Read at english.elpais.com