"Three Years After October 7: Strategic Roots and Regional Fallout"
Axis of Resistance
Iran-led network of allied state and non-state actors aimed at deterring Israel.
Abraham Accords
2020 agreements normalising ties between Israel and some Arab states.
The Gaza Strip is a narrow coastal territory on the eastern Mediterranean. Over two million Palestinians live there. Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007 after winning 2006 elections. Hamas defeated the rival Fatah faction. This created a lasting split with the Palestinian Authority, which runs the West Bank. The dispute over Palestinian statehood goes back decades. The 1917 Balfour Declaration promised a national homeland for Jewish people in Palestine. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was formed in 1964. It was created to unite Palestinian refugees under one political banner. The idea of a two-state solution means separate Israeli and Palestinian states living side by side. This idea has guided international diplomacy since the Oslo Accords of the 1990s. However, it has never been implemented.
After Hamas took over Gaza, Israel and Egypt imposed tight restrictions on the territory. The 2007 blockade restricts movement of people and goods into Gaza, officially for security reasons. This weakened Gaza's economy and deepened poverty. It also gave Hamas a steady grievance to rally support around. Over the following fifteen years, the two sides settled into repeated rounds of violence. These were followed by informal truces. However, the core political dispute between them was never resolved.
Hamas's decision to launch the October 7 attack grew out of two strategic shifts. The first was a change in the long-running security balance with Israel. For over a decade, a 'quiet for quiet' approach is an informal deterrence arrangement avoiding full-scale war between Israel and Hamas. This arrangement was built around unwritten 'rules of the game'. Hamas mostly pursued narrower, sub-strategic goals. These included easing the blockade and freeing Palestinian prisoners. Hamas did not pursue an immediate end to Israeli control. Its rocket arsenal was proven during a 51-day conflict in 2014. This gave it enough deterrent power to make Israel cautious about a full invasion. Egypt-mediated arrangements let limited aid flow into Gaza after 2018.
Israeli domestic politics reinforced this balance. Successive governments allowed external funds to reach Hamas. This was partly to keep Palestinian politics divided between Gaza and the West Bank. This reduced pressure for a unified Palestinian state. …
Match List-I (Agreement/Event) with List-II (Year) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
List-I
A.Balfour Declaration
B.Formation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation
C.Oslo Accords
D.Abraham Accords
List-II
1.1917
2.1964
3.1993
4.2020
Codes:
With reference to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), consider the following statements:
1.It was established in 1949 specifically to assist Palestinian refugees.
2.It functions as a regional branch of UNHCR, the UN's general refugee agency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Gaza Strip:
1.Hamas has administered Gaza since 2007, after winning Palestinian legislative elections held in 2006.
2.The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, also directly administers the Gaza Strip.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following countries normalised diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords of 2020?
1.United Arab Emirates
2.Bahrain
3.Saudi Arabia
4.Morocco
How many of the above are correct?
Which of the following are commonly considered part of Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' against Israel?
1.Hamas
2.Hezbollah
3.The Houthi movement in Yemen
4.The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
How many of the above are correct?
Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?
Create a free account — takes less than a minute.
Create free account