One morning, sirens rang loudly in Israel. Rockets were coming from Gaza, controlled by a group called Hamas. Israel’s special air shield, the Iron Dome, went to work. But this attack was BIG. Hamas fired over 5,000 rockets in just 20 minutes!
Hamas, a group from Gaza, recently attacked Israel in a big way. This brings up old issues between Israel and Palestine. Also, because Israel has made peace with countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, these agreements might be in danger due to this attack.
People are asking, “How did Hamas get so many weapons? And why couldn’t the famous ‘Iron Dome’ shield stop all the rockets?” Iron Dome is like a big umbrella that shields Israel from rockets and missiles. Israel made it to protect their cities from attacks. It has been around since 2011.
The Iron Dome has special radars that spot rockets coming towards Israel. The system decides if the rocket is dangerous and headed toward people or important places. If the rocket is a threat, the Iron Dome shoots its own missile to destroy the rocket in the sky. Even the pieces of the destroyed rocket don’t harm anyone, because the system makes sure they fall in safe places. It’s like a big safety net for the sky. In past fights with Hamas, the Dome has stopped many rockets from hurting places and people in Israel.
Earlier, the leader of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he didn’t want to send this system to Ukraine. He was worried that Iran might get their hands on it.
So, What Happened This Time?
Hamas figured out a way to trick the Dome. They fired LOTS of rockets all at once. This is like throwing too many balls for someone to catch at the same time. Because so many rockets came quickly, even the super-fast Dome had trouble stopping all of them.
Mossad is Israel’s foremost intelligence service. Renowned for its global operations and espionage activities, its director is appointed through a confidential procedure. Typically, Mossad’s counterintelligence efforts preempt major threats. However, the scope and multifaceted nature of the Hamas attack clearly slipped under Israel’s notice.
What’s the Story so far:
- In the late 19th century, Jews started moving to an area called Palestine because of problems in Europe. This land was controlled by the Ottoman Empire at first and then by the British.
- The British supported the idea of a Jewish homeland in Palestine in 1917 (called the Balfour Declaration). This upset the Arabs living there.
- After World War II, the UN proposed splitting Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state. Jews accepted, but Arabs didn’t. In 1948, Israel was declared a state anyway.
- The result was more violence. By the end, Israel had even more land than the UN suggested. Other areas like West Bank went to Jordan and Gaza Strip to Egypt.
The Palestinians who lived in the areas that became Israel faced different outcomes:
- Some stayed in Israel and became Israeli citizens. Today, they are known as Arab-Israelis.
- Many fled or were displaced during the war. They moved to the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and neighboring countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. They and their descendants are often referred to as Palestinian refugees.
Wars and Changes:
- In 1967, following tensions with its neighbors, Israel declared war on Egypt, Jordan, and Syria and took more lands including West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.
- This war changed things. Palestinians, the original inhabitants, started demanding their own nation.
- A group called PLO became their voice. They faced many challenges, including being chased out of other countries and facing conflicts with Israel.
Peace Attempts:
- In 1993, there was hope. Israel and the PLO agreed to recognize each other and talked about a two-state solution. Sadly, an Israeli leader was killed, and things didn’t move forward much.
- Since then, many have tried to make peace, but major problems remain.
Big Issues:
- Borders: What should the boundary of a Palestinian state be? Israel has built walls and settlements, making this complicated.
- Capital: Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital, but Israel controls the whole city which has religious sites for Christians, Muslims, and Jews.
- Refugees: Many Palestinians left their homes in past wars. Should they be allowed back?
The peace efforts are stagnant. Palestinians are divided between two groups: Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza, and they are not in complete agreement. This creates friction. Occasionally, Palestinians launch attacks, and Israel retaliates firmly. Israel regulates Palestinian movements and activities.