What Happened?
An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed Mohammed Odeh, the commander of the Hamas military wing. According to Israel’s military, the strike also killed several of Odeh’s family members. Hamas confirmed Odeh’s death in a brief statement following the attack.
The Israeli Defense Force issued a statement adding that they had also attacked ‘a nearby apartment belonging to a Hamas terrorist who raided on October 7 and was part of Odeh's circle of assistants.’ According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Israeli attack hit the upper three floors of the al-Kayali building in the center of Gaza City.
Why it Matters
Despite the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, several limited rounds of military action between the two have occurred in the past two months. The latest strike by Israel on a senior Hamas commander reflects the change in both mindset and rules of engagement by the Israeli Defense Force.
Before the October 2023 attacks, Israel would generally not attack targets if they believed civilians would be nearby unless those targets were the senior-most members of Hamas…
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But after October 2023, Israel altered its rules of engagement to permit attacking any member of Hamas regardless of whether their family members might be killed in the process. Instead of only targeting Hamas members directly engaged in military actions or terrorism, Israel now routinely targets members of Hamas at their homes, residences, or wherever they can be found. The change has increased the number of casualties for Hamas but has also caused a spike in civilian casualties in Gaza.
In October 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, indiscriminately killing any Israelis they encountered and taking over two hundred prisoners. The brutality and scale of that attack by Hamas is what caused the change in mindset for the Israeli Defense Force.
The change in tactics has been largely backed by the Israeli public because the October 2023 attacks also hardened Israeli public opinion against Hamas and Gaza in general. The majority of people in Israel are now much more willing to accept civilian casualties in Gaza while fighting Hamas.
The shift in mentality and tactics by Israel explains the continued combat operations against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The intensity of the trauma of the October 2023 attacks has left a permanent imprint on Israel and Israeli public opinion, and because of that, Israel will likely continue its war against Hamas and Hezbollah until Israel believes both have been destroyed.
How it Affects You
The majority of the public in Israel have indicated they believe the war with Iran is justified, and they support continuing to fight Iran until the current regime is gone. Iran funds Hezbollah in Lebanon and gives substantial military aid to Hamas in Gaza, so in Israel, the war against Iran is seen as a continuation of the conflict that started in October 2023.
Unlike previous rounds of conflict between Israel and Hamas, this time Israel appears to be determined not to let up until they have achieved complete victory.
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Smartphone usage according to Forbes.
