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October 7, 2023, the consequences of the Hamas attack
The need for constructive dialogue
A year ago… on October 7th.
The “Black Shabbat”, as the Israelis called the day of the first Hamas attack. On October 7 of a year ago, at 6.30 in the morning, during the Shabbath, Hamas began the military operation called “Al-Aqsa Flood” with the launching of over five thousands rockets from Gaza at Israeli targets. Mainly towards populated areas around the Strip, and toward major cities such Tel Aviv and Ashkelon.
October 7 is a significant date as it marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, a historic conflict between Arabs and Israelis. The ongoing issue between Israel and Palestine has persisted for decades, dating back to the establishment of Israel in 1948 after the Second World War. The dispute over the territory has led to Israel’s expansion into lands inhabited by the Palestinian population, resulting in the construction of settlements and effective control of the territory. The Gaza Strip, in particular, has been under a strict military blockade since the withdrawal of Israeli troops in 2005 and the subsequent control of the area by Hamas. This blockade has turned Gaza into an isolated enclave, with around one and a half million people living in just 360 km2. Israel controls the entry and exit points of the territory, as well as access to essential resources such as water, food, and electricity. For Hamas, the attack is a response to what they see as a century-old occupation. The context leading up to October 7 is one of extreme instability, with a history of clashes and violent repression.
In the unexpected attack, carried out by a conglomerate of various Palestinian armed groups coordinated by Hamas, 1,200 Israelis were killed, most of them civilians. Among the first victims were participants of the Nova Music open-air music festival near Kibbutz Re’im.
It was an attack without historical precedent: 251 Israelis were kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip, where they are believed to be still around 100 – but only a third are believed to be alive. The Israeli response was not long in coming, Israel in fact placed the Gaza Strip under siege with devastating consequences for the Palestinian population. The Palestinian attack was militarily justified as a just reaction to the prolonged detention of Palestinian hostages and, as stated by the commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa mosque.
Two days after the attack, on October 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of war and mobilized thousands of reservists to reconquer the areas that had fallen under Hamas control and strike its strategic targets.
With the involvement of Qatar and Egypt in the talks, around fifty Israeli captives are released in return for approximately 150 Palestinian detainees. However, the period of peace is short-lived as hostilities resume on December 1. The conflict extends beyond the Gaza Strip, with the Yemeni rebels known as the Houthis, who support the Palestinian cause, initiating a series of assaults on merchant vessels in the Red Sea en route to Israel. On the opposing side is Hezbollah, a Lebanese paramilitary group with ties to Iran and a strong alignment with the Palestinian population.
The counter attack, militarily less coordinated but more incisive, led to devastating consequences and a significant death toll, so much so that it provoked an intense wave of international indignation and continuous calls for a ceasefire, even from the major religious authorities.
Immediately after the attack, European leaders expressed unanimous condemnation of Hamas and strong support for Israel. Ursula von der Leyen (CDU, EPP), President of the European Commission, declared “unconditional support” for Israel. At the same time, Josep Borrell (PSOE, S&D), High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the EU, tried to maintain a more balanced position, underlining the importance of the two-state solution and denouncing the failure of the international community to resolve the conflict. A further sign of a substantial difference in vision between the European right and left, but also within the coalitions themselves.
The United States promptly initiated diplomatic efforts, however, despite Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visits to the Middle East, talks for a ceasefire are currently at a standstill. Netanyahu restated that the conflict will not cease until Hamas is entirely eliminated.
In April, a significant event unfolded as a result of the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus. In response, Tehran launched a major missile attack on Israel. Fortunately, the Iron Dome, Israel’s anti-missile system, successfully intercepted the majority of the missiles, averting a potential disaster. Concurrently, criticism of Netanyahu intensified. Towards the end of July, the assassination of the Hamas political leader disrupted diplomatic efforts to broker a truce. The UN International Court declared Israel’s military presence in Palestinian territories as “illegal” and called for an immediate cessation. Despite this, after ten months of conflict, peace negotiations seem to have reached an impasse, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
A year after the outbreak of the most aggressive phase of the clashes, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola (PN, PP), and the Israeli President Isaac Herzog (Hà’avoda) stressed during the commemorative ceremonies the need to find a peace agreement. On the Atlanticist front, the Vice President of the United States of America Kamala Harris (Democratic Party) recognized the gravity of the situation in Gaza and called for an agreement for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire. In Italy too, the reaction was heartfelt: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (FdI, ECR) declared herself close to the civilian victims on both sides and harshly condemned the attack by Hamas.
In the last year, there have been different reactions from the European population, especially among the very young, among the ranks of the militant left, demonstrations and protests have spread, resulting in prolonged student occupations in favor of Palestine. However, these protests are driven by dangerous rhetoric that risks confusing criticism of Israel with hatred of the Jewish population that is rapidly gaining ground within left-wing groups. In a Europe that has already seen the consequences of hatred and ghettoization, it is simply unacceptable and anti-historical to normalize and justify an ideological attack on Israel by hiding it under the carpet of social activism.
The situation on the front remains tense and does not seem to be improving, a complex situation in which Hamas has celebrated the attack as a “glorious” success, highlighting a continuous escalation of tensions, which has also seen neighboring territories involved in support of one faction or the other. A concrete example is that of Lebanon, where the recent joint operation by the army and Israeli intelligence, the Mossad, for the destruction of the Hezbollah movement has resulted in both a severe blow to Islamist terrorism and an immense amount of civilian casualties.
The condition of the hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023, remains tragic: according to Israeli reports, of the more than 500 Israeli citizens detained by Hamas, 64 could still be alive, although in extremely fragile physical and psychological conditions. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has in fact documented systematic practices of abuse and violence. At the same time, however, there has been an increase in Palestinian detainees, many of whom are in the West Bank region, in equally worrying living conditions.
Naturally, the initial anniversary of the Hamas assault was not just a remembrance of the victims but also a significant opportunity to contemplate the intricacies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Hamas assault has deeply impacted global relations and sparked worries about anti-Semitic sentiments in Europe. The foremost aspiration continues to be the achievement of a peace accord as swiftly as feasible, with the repatriation of the hostages serving as the primary goal.