What is the first lesson?

What is the significance of overconfidence?

What about isolationism?

How does propaganda influence warfare?

What lesson can we draw from the historical complexities of lineage and territory?

On 7 October 2023, Palestinian militant groups^[f] led by Hamas launched a large-scale invasion against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Hamas called it Operation al-Aqsa Flood.^[33][34] The corresponding Israeli counteroffensive was named Operation Iron Swords by the IDF.^[35]

The crisis represented a tipping point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which followed a violent year that saw increased expansion of Israeli settlements and Israeli settler violence against Palestinian civilians,^[36] clashes in Jenin and at Al-Aqsa mosque, which killed almost 250 Palestinians and 32 Israelis;^[g] Hamas cited these events as justification for the offensive,^[39] and called on Palestinians outside of Gaza to join “the fight against the occupiers“.^[40] In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared states of emergency and war, and some opposition parties have called for the formation of a national unity government.^[41]

Hostilities were initiated in the early morning with a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 missiles against Israel and vehicle-transported incursions into its territory.^[42] Palestinian militants also broke through the Gaza–Israel barrier and forced their way through Gaza border crossings, entering and attacking nearby Israeli communities and military installations, killing at least 1,200 Israelis in the process according to Israel.^[28] Numerous cases of violence against Israeli civilians have occurred since the beginning of the conflict, including a massacre at a music festival that killed at least 260. Israeli soldiers and civilians, including children, had been taken hostage by Palestinian militants to the Gaza Strip.^[43]

After calling reservists and working on clearing militants from affected areas, Israel retaliated using airstrikes in the densely-populated Gaza Strip targeting strategic buildings and military targets, with 20 reported cases of shelling of civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, mosques, and hospitals. According to the Hamas government in Gaza, within the first 3 days at least 900 Palestinians were killed in gunfights and by airstrikes, including civilians, and 260 children;^[6] the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated it killed “more than 1,500 terrorists” inside Israel.^[12] The United Nations reported that more than 200,000 Palestinians, a tenth of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since the start of hostilities.^[44] Fears of a humanitarian crisis were heightened after Israel had cut off food, water, electricity, and fuel supplies to the already blockaded strip.^[45]

Numerous countries of the Western world and its allies condemned Hamas for the violence,^[46] and accused the tactics used by the organization as “terrorism”;^[47] while various countries of the Muslim world cited the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the denial of Palestinian self-determination as the root cause of the escalation, and others demanded de-escalation.^[48][49] Amnesty International condemned both Hamas’ and Israel’s conduct as war crimes.^[50] The United States government announced it is supporting Israel by moving an aircraft carrier, its battle group and military jets to the eastern Mediterranean and providing Israel with additional military equipment and ammunition.^[51] A conflict was reported between Hezbollah and Al-Quds Brigades forces in Lebanon and Israeli forces on 8 and 9 October.^[52][53] In the afternoon of October 10, President of the United States Joe Biden announced that “Hamas has set a goal of killing Jews”.^[54][55]