The Middle East rang in the new year with assassinations and terror attacks. Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy leader of Hamas' political bureau, was assassinated in Beirut last Tuesday. The following day, two bombings in Kirman, Iran (for which Daesh has claimed responsibility) killed 103 people. As those attacks shifted everyone’s attention to Israel, Iran and Hezbollah pledged to exact “revenge and a heavy price.”

This paper argues that the al-Aqsa Flood operation launched by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades –the military wing of Hamas– on the morning of October 7 has led to a psychological and epistemological rupture in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Middle East politics as the operation marked a paradigm shift in the philosophy of the resistance. The infiltration of al-Qassam into the occupied territories by land, sea, and air was a clear sign of a change in the strategy of the resistance to continue the active struggle against the aggressive expansionism and aggression of the Zionist Israeli government. In this context, the study tries to frame Operation al-Aqsa Flood and analyze the dimensions of the rupture. Besides this, it will also outline the possible impact of the operation on global and regional politics, considering that the ongoing process will change the political balance in the Middle East.

This article delves into the legal discussions surrounding the crisis unleashed by the military operation launched on October 7, 2023, in Southern Israel by Palestinian forces of the resistance based in Gaza. Israel considered this a “terrorist attack,” asserted the right of self-defense, declared war on Gazans, and started the continuous and indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza. As a result, Gaza has become the new Dresden, in which thousands have been killed and tens of thousands injured. This article is an attempt to answer the following questions to illuminate the legal issues surrounding the current crisis and the broader context of Israel’s legal status as a state and its territorial claims: Was the Palestinian offensive in Southern Israel an instance of terrorism and/or an act of aggression? Which side of the conflict can rightfully claim the right of self-defense? Did Israel commit genocide in Gaza? Do Israel’s statehood and territorial claims rest on firm legal grounds? Is it legally sensible to argue that Israel is a threat to international peace and security?

Important parameter for guarantor model is Israeli government and its expected transformation, which is highly probable in the short term after its clear failures

Biden, in a ceremony where he criticized antisemitism this week, recounted the political pressures he faced for stating 35 years ago, 'Being Jewish is not necessary to be a Zionist. And I am a Zionist.' Biden has previously used expressions like 'If there was no Israel, we would have to invent it' and linked the security of Jews to the existence of Israel. It can be politically surprising that Biden, in his second term, insists on his Israel policy, risking American national interests. The only explanation for Biden's insistence might be an irrational and ideological perspective based on assumptions that many Jews might not accept.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Kazakhstan earlier this week to attend the 10th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). In addition to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov, Erdoğan met his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and attended the meeting of the OTS heads of states. The Turkish leader returned to Türkiye following his meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday.

The Biden administration hasn't fundamentally altered its unwavering support for Israel since the beginning of the crisis. However, in the face of heavy criticism from the international community, regional countries, and even its own party and American public, especially in the past two weeks, it has started emphasizing the humanitarian crisis more. As Washington increasingly finds itself isolated on the international stage, it has begun to add qualifiers, such as the need to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian aid access, while reiterating its full support for Israel. Reports have also suggested that Israel is preparing for a large-scale invasion of Gaza, but Washington is recommending a narrower operation that takes into account the safety of hostages and civilians. The change in rhetoric seems to reflect the administration's growing awareness of the need to alleviate public pressure.

While the Israeli army continues its occupation of Gaza step by step, that country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, attempts to justify the killing of Palestinians with reference to the Torah. In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, Netanyahu embraced Jewish theology by bringing up the Prophecy of Isaiah regarding the “promised land.”

The stakes in the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians are quite high for Western countries, the United States in particular. Due to their unconditional support for the Israeli war crimes in Palestine, the U.S. and European partners cannot get support for their position in other international crises such as the Ukrainian-Russian War. It means that the Israeli-Palestinian question will serve as one of the most important turning points in the decay of the Western, i.e., American hegemony.

Urging all “reasonable and conscientious nations” to mount pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to “re-embrace common sense,” he made some important points. Specifically, Erdogan criticized Western countries for turning a blind eye to the massacre in Gaza and failing to push for a cease-fire, accusing them of hypocrisy. Stressing that the Western support for Israel’s massacre was incompatible with humanitarian and religious values, the Turkish leader called on humanity to act.

US backing Israel with weapons, aircraft carriers, consultants and more, according to experts

The Turkish media reported two major developments with the potential to cause a stir in domestic politics. First, Sabah reported that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was going to host a pro-Palestinian event, the “Great Gathering for Palestine,” outside its provincial headquarters in Istanbul and that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and fellow leaders of the People’s Alliance would attend it. Secondly, the Directorate of Communications announced that President Erdoğan had signed Sweden’s NATO accession protocol and sent it to the Turkish Parliament.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict threatens to spread across the region and exacerbate great power competition. As United States military bases in Iraq and Syria come under drone attacks more and more frequently, a U.S. destroyer in the Red Sea shot down cruise missiles that the Houthi rebels in Yemen fired at Israel – harassing fire from Iran’s proxies.

For the past ten days, President Biden has appeared indifferent to the gravity of the humanitarian crisis and outrage resulting from Israel's ongoing attacks. Israel's actions in Gaza, which leave civilians with no option but death, are considered war crimes. Biden's apparent indifference to this reality doesn't contribute to a solution but rather exacerbates the problem. While claiming to support Israel and acknowledge the importance of Gaza's civilians, attributing the responsibility for the hospital attack to the "other side" is a failure in Biden's policy.

In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the ongoing Israeli retaliation, is there anything different in the U.S. government’s response this time around?