Alwaght- Following Israeli violation of the ceasefire with Gaza and resumption of airstrikes on the enclave, Hamas fired rockets at the occupied territories after a few days of tolerance.
Reports said on Sunday about hearing the sirens ringing in Ashkelon city. According to Israeli sources, several explosions were heard in the city and others near Gaza following the Palestinian missile firing.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagary admitted that the Palestinian resistance fired two rockets at Ashkelon from northern Gaza.
Message of Hamas attacks
Firing rockets at Israel carries meaningful messages to the Israeli leaders.
With this initial operation, Hamas showed that despite the repeated claims of destruction of its combat capabilities by Israeli regime, it maintains its rocket firing capability and so it still can act on its threats.
While Western and Israeli media interpreted the efforts by Hamas to maintain the ceasefire as a sign of weakness, Hamas showed with these attacks that it will not back down from its positions.
Hamas also warned the enemy that continued aggression could lead to an escalation of the conflict and jeopardize the security of the occupied territories, something Tel Aviv has been struggling with in the 16 months of conflict before the ceasefire.
Given the captivity of dozens of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, Hamas showed with these attacks that any violation of the ceasefire agreement could affect the fate of the prisoners and that the responsibility lies with the Netanyahu government.
In recent days, a number of prisoners remaining in Gaza have been killed as a result of the occupation army's massive attacks, and Hamas has warned that with the continuation of the conflict and the delay in implementing the second phase of the ceasefire, the chances of survival of the Israeli prisoners dwindle. This has led some of the released prisoners to write a letter to Netanyahu, calling for an end to the war and for the prisoners to be guaranteed their lives through negotiations.
Some analysts believe that Hamas has managed to remain a serious threat to Israel by adopting new strategies, including a focus on guerrilla warfare and the use of asymmetric tactics. Despite heavy casualties, the group has continued to recruit and maintain its military structures.
Resistance ready to resume war
The show of power by Hamas comes as this movement just contrary to the Israeli claims of its destruction is still present in the scene. In recent months, the US intelligence services reported that Hamas has managed to recruit thousands of fighters who can fight Israel for months.
In the midst of the prisoner swap during the ceasefire, the Al-Qassam Brigades, with their extensive presence in Gaza, showed that they still have forces ready to fight against its occupation enemy.
Therefore, any widespread conflict will demonstrate the military power of the resistance and increase popular support for resistance groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Having in mind that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to escalate tensions with the resistance groups, Palestinian leaders also have on their agenda plans to confront the enemy.
In a conversation with Aljazeera, special sources of the Palestinian resistance groups announced the resistance's readiness to stand up to the Israeli aggression and announced that the resistance has redrawn its field plans to confront the occupying army, relying on its long experience in direct confrontation with the Israelis during the 470-day war.
These sources stressed that the resistance groups in Gaza will adopt a flexible and effective defense strategy that is based on the accumulated field experience and the tactics of individual warfare among its fighters. The resistance has proven that it is capable of turning the tide in their favor.
According to this report, "confrontation of the Zionist occupiers in the coming days will not be traditional and the Palestinian armed groups will strikes behind the lines and from unexpected aspects relying on advanced and surprising ambush tactics."
The recent rocket attack comes as the existence of thousands of tons of unexploded ordnance including bombs and missiles provide the resistance with rich resources to make rockets and refill their arsenal. This is what Israeli analysts have mentioned as a source of worry.
Currently, Hamas and other Palestinian groups have many weapons at their disposal to strike Israel, and without a doubt, in the event of a large-scale conflict, the Palestinians will use all their means to punish the enemy.
Netanyahu's incapability to protect settlers
Though hardline ministers had claimed that Hamas has been severely weakened and they sought resumption of the war with the aim of wresting further concessions from the Palestinians, Al-Qassam Brigades have surprised the enemies with their attacks.
After attacks on Ashkelon, Israeli media acknowledged that these attacks show that allegations of Hamas destruction is a "big lie."
Israeli news website Hadshot Bazman reported in reaction to the attack that "anyone who told you on the news networks that Hamas has been dissolved is living in a movie, not reality." The outlet wrote that Hamas has resumed rocket production and, worse, has done so using explosives from Israeli warplane bombs.
According to the Israeli media outlet, "Hamas has shown its ability to fire rockets, but has not yet increased the range and level of attacks. Hamas is ready for an Israeli army operation in Gaza. Do not believe the reports suggesting Hamas is weakened."
Therefore, the recent Hamas attacks and the domestic Israeli reactions indicate the serious challenges facing the Netanyahu government in ensuring the security of settlers and managing security crises. As the conflict escalates, the settlers are exposed to counterattacks, and this situation indicates the government’s failure to protect these areas.
The rocket attacks by Hamas and other resistance groups will have irreparable consequences for the Israelis, and the continuation of this situation will turn the entire occupied territories into insecure areas. The sirens and emergency evacuations will disrupt the daily lives of citizens and cause public fear and panic.
The failure of the Israeli air defenses to intercept the incoming missiles has triggered concerns and insecurity among the settlers. Important cities like Ashkelon and Tel Aviv have times and again have come under attacks, leading to increase in public fear and drop in the confidence in the government to protect security.
If defense systems do not function properly, Palestinian resistance rockets can hit sensitive centers, airports, military bases, and government buildings. This will not only lead to heavy financial losses, but also increase the number of casualties.
The failure to intercept Hamas projectiles has drawn sharp criticism from Netanyahu’s political opponents. Therefore, if a full-scale war breaks out between the two sides and the Netanyahu government fails to ensure the security of citizens, the government’s legitimacy crisis will deepen, and domestic protests and pressure could build up on security officials. Opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid, have lashed out at Netanyahu's policies, accusing the PM of failing to provide security for the settlers.
On the other hand, many settlers have accused the government of failing to provide security and have called for serious changes in security policies. This could stir further internal unrest and political instability.
The Israeli settlers, especially the families of the prisoners, in recent days arranged protests, voicing their discontent with the security situation and government policies. They accuse Netanyahu of jeopardizing Israel's security for his ambitious personal interests.
Re-eruption of war between Israel and Hamas bears massive consequences for the two sides. For the Israelis, the war can deteriorate insecurity, lead to economic collapse, and deepen internal opposition to government and at the end of the road risk pushing the coalition cabinet to the the brink of collapse. But for the Palestinians, it could provide an opportunity to garner further international support and show off resistance power to undermine the Israeli regional position.
