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Israel-Hamas war: Fallout beyond Gaza
Among other things, US attention could be deflected away from the Indo-Pacific.
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Palestinians searching for casualties under rubble in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Oct 13.
PHOTO: REUTERS
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
Jean-Loup Samaan
Day by day, the repercussions of the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel last Saturday are unfolding. It is impossible to predict how a conflict that is only beginning will end. Yet, there are several lessons that can already be learnt at the international level.
Beyond the gruesome assault, Hamas has already achieved one goal: hijacking the Palestinian cause and accelerating the weakening of President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA). The legitimacy of the 87-year-old Palestinian leader has eroded over the years, and Hamas has made no secret of its desire to replace him. Its high-signature terror attacks are aimed at just that – pushing Hamas to the forefront of the struggle against Israel, thus making the PA more irrelevant. By doing so, however, the militant organisation has all but ended any hope for a resumption of the peace process.
