Saturday morning, October 7, in Israel began with the wailing of air raid sirens. On this day, the terrorist organization of the Palestinian Hamas movement attacked Israel with thousands of rockets, while dozens of terrorists crossed the border between Gaza and Israel (including on pickup trucks, motorcycles, and paragliders).
They infiltrated Israeli cities and kibbutzim on the Gaza border, taking civilians and soldiers hostage. During the first two days of the new war in the Middle East, more than 700 Israelis, including children, lost their lives. At least a hundred people were taken hostage and transported to Gaza.
The horrific acts of violence committed by Hamas terrorists on Israeli territory closely resemble the behavior of Russian military personnel at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in places like Bucha, Irpin, and other populated areas. The internet is filled with videos capturing the war crimes of Hamas militants, which painfully resemble scenes from similar crimes committed by Russian occupiers in Ukraine.
Ukraine has firmly expressed its full and unconditional support for the authorities and the people of Israel. President Volodymyr Zelensky has referred to Hamas militants as terrorists, their attacks as horrifying, and the aggression itself as a crime against peace. In a show of support for the Israeli people, Israeli flags have appeared on digital advertising displays in the streets of Ukrainian cities.
The scale of Hamas’s operation indicates that it was well-planned and required significant organizational efforts. The implementation of an operation of this magnitude without the involvement of powerful external forces is unlikely. It should be noted that Russia has experience and interests in global destabilization. During Israel’s war with Hamas, a wave of malicious joy and antisemitism naturally rose in certain Russian circles.
It can be concluded that this is a byproduct of aggression against Ukraine combined with the Kremlin’s long-standing efforts to propagate ‘hatred’ towards the West. The main reason for the current surge of hatred in Russia lies in the fact that in Soviet society, especially during the Stalin era, antisemitism was actively cultivated. Moreover, antisemitism was effectively an unofficial part of Soviet ideology. The Kremlin even attempted to capitalize on this by launching a campaign to discredit Ukraine in the Middle East, accusing Kiev of selling Western weapons provided by allies to terrorists. However, there is no evidence to support these allegations.
It is highly likely that Russia will attempt to fully exploit the advantage gained from the terrorist attack on Israel. The fact that this attack was timed not only with a Jewish holiday but also with the birthday of the Russian president has led some experts to speculate that Islamist groups were presenting him with a bloody gift in this way. Considering the close ties between Russia and Hamas, such speculations may be more than mere conspiracy theories. When сonsidering which foreign actors benefit from the sharp escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the answer points to another close ally of Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran. The close relations between Gaza and Tehran are so evident that it can be confidently asserted that Hamas is one of Iran’s regional quasi-armies. The most combat-ready group is Hezbollah, along Israel’s northern border. Their involvement in the current standoff could significantly expand the scale of military operations.
The events unfolding in Israel right now are a copy of Putin’s actions, a chain reaction to the policy of violent resolution of international issues. And this is another lesson for the global community. If Putin is not stopped, this chain reaction will continue in different forms and in different regions of the world. This should be a warning for Israel, including the Netanyahu government. Israeli authorities flirted with Putin, demonstrating their neutrality regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine in the hope of reducing risks for Israel. We have seen how this ended.