Geopolitics and Markets Review – 30th October 2023
Israel-Hamas: How Both Sides Seek To Punish The Other
Contents
1) Introduction
2) What is Hamas
3) Punishment
4) Concluding Remarks
5) End Note
6) Other News
Introduction
We’ve covered the history. We find ourselves back in the present-day issue of this current conflict between Israel and Hamas. How did we get here?
What Is Hamas
Hamas is an armed Palestinian group considered political to some and terrorist to others dependent on attitudes towards the Israel-Palestine conflict. They are known to be backed by Iran financially and Turkey and Qatar are known for allowing Hamas leaders refuge.
The group took over the Gaza Strip after defeating Fatah, a rival political party, in elections in 2006. Note that Fatah controls the West Bank and has renounced violence. It’s from this political structure that the piece by Noah Smith of Noahpinion highlights that a three-state solution is necessary for the future of Israel and Palestine.
The Gaza Strip is an area where two million Palestinians live in low-quality-of-life situations. Clean water is a rare find, with less than 4% of freshwater being drinkable. Sewage is also deposited into the ocean surrounding Gaza. This negatively contributes to a lack of healthcare and sanitation for the citizens of Gaza. Israel’s blockade of Gaza has been in place since 2007, with Israel controlling the water and airspace and two out of three border crossings out of the region. The other is controlled by Egypt. On October 9th, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant implemented a total blockade, including food and water.
It is also one of the most densely populated regions on the planet, and in the eyes of Hamas, the region is surrounded by the very state they won't acknowledge the existence of, and they wish to defeat. Israel.
Hamas wishes to have the territory before the 4th of June 1967, before the Six-Day War that occurred from the 5th to the 10th of June 1967. The document attached above indicates the list of general principles and policies of Hamas from their point of view.
The issue between Hamas and Israel is unsolvable in its current form. Hamas doesn’t recognise Israel's right to exist and as Israel surrounds the Gaza Strip in the World’s largest open-air prison, it’s natural that Palestinians who live in the area feel surrounded and limited. Citizens of the region must fight for survival every day.
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