The following is the full text of the speech by Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, on the first day of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, 7 October, 2023, as reported by Al-Jazeera:
In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
In hindsight, the drivers of Hamas’s startlingly well-planned, land-sea-air attack on Israel on Saturday were in plain sight.
The operation reflects a pattern of four wars and regular outbreaks of violence between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza since 2005, when Israel withdrew its military posts and forcibly removed 9,000 Israeli settlers from the territory.
There will be only one winner in the war that has broken out between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. And it is neither Israel nor Hamas.
In an operation coined “the Al-Aqsa Storm,” Hamas, whose formal name is the Islamic Resistance Movement, fired thousands of rockets into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters infiltrated Israel by land, sea and air. Hundreds of Israelis have been killed, more than 2,000 injured, and many taken hostage.
Last Friday, Israeli newspapers were filled with stories about the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, also called the October War. In 1973, the country had nearly been defeated by co-ordinated surprise attacks from its Arab neighbors. Never again, people thought.
Almost 50 years ago to the day, Israel had failed to anticipate the outbreak of the 1973 Yom Kippur war – a shock attack on its borders by a coalition of Arab states.
Now, it appears the country’s intelligence apparatuses have fallen victim to a false sense of security once again.
Overview
On the morning of October 7, 2023, hundreds of armed Hamas terrorist operatives breached the border security fence and began pouring into Israel from the Gaza Strip, driving pickup trucks and motorcycle, on foot and using motorized hang gliders, heading towards IDF bases and the Israeli villages surrounding Gaza. To cover the invasion, massive rocket barrages were fired at south and central Israel. As of this writing, IDF forces are still battling terrorists in several towns and villages near the Gaza Strip and the rocket attacks continue.
The IDF declared a state of preparedness for war. A few hours after the invasion began, IDF aircraft started attacking Hamas terrorist targets and symbols of the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip
Apparently Hamas’ military-terrorist wing had been planning “Operation al-Aqsa Storm” for several months but very few people knew about it and they successfully kept it secret. According to Hamas spokesmen, the operation was intended to “convey a message to Israel” regarding Jews going to pray on the Temple Mount. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist operatives joined Hamas in invading Israel.
So far, Hamas calls for operatives in Judea and Samaria to join the attack have been unsuccessful. However, there was considerable glee in Judea and Samaria, expressed by support marches of armed operatives, distribution of pastries to passersby in the streets and chants of encouragement for the terrorists invading from the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority (PA) is focusing efforts at the “diplomatic” level and making preparations to help the Gazans.
In the northern arena, Hezbollah operatives fired mortar shells at Mount Dov; the IDF responded with artillery fire. The Arab world expressed support for Hamas. The United States condemned the Hamas attack and gave its full support to Israel, as did other Western countries.
The Palestinian militant group has struggled to govern Gaza and remains committed to violently resisting Israel. Its surprise attack against Israel in 2023 threatens a wider conflagration in the Middle East.
Summary
Atacul surpriză al Hamas asupra Israelului, la cea de-a 50-a aniversare a războiului de Yom Kippur, va fi ţinut minte veacuri de-acum încolo ca un eşec al serviciilor israeliene de informaţii, scrie în „The Observer” Peter Beaumont, fost corespondent la Ierusalim al cotidianului „The Guardian”.
Abstract: This paper deals with the question of the extent to which a security partnership between European and the Arab states increases mutual security on the one hand, and on the other hand, how such cooperation affects the development of the Arab developing states. Finally, it asks whether a new relationship of trust can grow between the two different cultures after a difficult historical “journey.”
This past week Palestinians carried out seven terrorist attacks. Shots were fired near
Kibbutz Meirav on the Gilboa, and at an IDF post in Deir Sharaf (Nablus), at an IDF post in Salem
(Jenin), at an IDF post near Tulkarm and in Hawwara, where two Israelis were wounded. There
was a stabbing attack at the Mizmoria Crossing (south of Jerusalem) and an IED exploded in
Tel Aviv; no casualties were reported. A stabbing attack was prevented at the Tel Aviv train
station. The Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities, focusing on Jeninn
and Jericho; five Palestinians were killed. Meanwhile, the Palestinian security forces continued
to detain wanted persons in Jenin.