The recent attack by Hamas on Israel, dubbed “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood“, has been a meticulously planned operation, involving only a small circle of top commanders in the Gaza Strip. Ali Barakeh, a senior Hamas official, revealed to the Associated Press that the attack had been in the works for over a year. Contrary to some reports, Barakeh denied any involvement from Iran or Hezbollah in the planning stages. The terrorist attack took Israel by surprise, leading to significant casualties and the capture of numerous individuals. Mondoweiss reported that the Israeli Defense Minister has ordered a full siege of Gaza in response to the attack, operation “Iron Swords“.
The scale of the operation even shocked Hamas, who had initially planned for a more limited engagement. Barakeh explained that the reasons for the attack were tied to actions taken by the Israeli government over the past year, including provocative visits to holy sites in Jerusalem and increased pressure on Palestinian prisoners. He also noted that Hamas had only deployed a fraction of its forces, with about 2,000 out of 40,000 fighters in the Gaza Strip participating in the latest conflict. Al Jazeera provided live updates on the situation, emphasizing that Hamas is waging a “battle of resistance and dignity”.
This is clearly a failure of Israeli intelligence services which failed to anticipate the “Al-Aqsa Flood” terrorist attack.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides preparing for various scenarios. Israel has mobilized a large number of reserves and has declared a “state of war,” raising the specter of a ground invasion or even a reoccupation of Gaza. On the other hand, Hamas seems prepared for a protracted conflict, with Barakeh stating, “We are well prepared for this war and ready to face all scenarios.”
The international community is closely watching the developments, and the conflict has already drawn reactions from various countries and organizations. The “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack has far-reaching implications, not just for Israel and Palestine, but for the entire Middle East and potentially the world at large. It raises questions about the effectiveness of intelligence services, the role of external actors, and the ever-complex dynamics of Israeli-Palestinian relations.
