Date: September 9th, 2025 4:30 PM
Author: Paralegal Mohammad (Death, death to the IDF!)
all of it public information, here's a summary:
what were the years of israeli aggression that hamas responded to prior to 10/7
ChatGPT said:
Here’s what was happening before October 7, 2023, that Hamas cited as a basis—or justification—for its attack:
Prior Israeli Military Operations and Violence
According to a detailed assessment of intelligence and conflict history, Israel had conducted several military operations in Gaza in the years just before the October 2023 attack:
Operation “Protective Edge” — July–August 2014
Operation “Guardian of the Walls” — May 2021
Operation “Breaking Dawn” — August 2022
Operation “Shield and Arrow” — May 2023
Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Additionally, there were major protest movements and escalating tensions that Hamas and others point to:
The “Great March of Return” protests at the Gaza border during 2018–2019, which saw violent confrontations and casualties
Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
.
Recurring waves of lone-actor attacks in Israeli and Palestinian areas during 2015–2016 and again in 2022
Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
.
Hamas’ Own Words on the October 7 Attack
When announcing the October 7 assault—codenamed “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”—Hamas explicitly linked their actions to longstanding grievances, citing:
The 16-year-long blockade of Gaza
Ongoing Israeli occupation, incursions, and demolitions
Expansion of settlements, settler violence, and other oppressive measures
Violation of international law, detentions, and what they termed Western silence or complicity
Wikipedia
In essence, Hamas framed October 7 as a response to a series of actions—including military campaigns and decades of blockade, occupation, and settler violence—that they considered forms of “aggression.”
Summary
Direct military operations (prior to Oct 2023):
Protective Edge (2014), Guardian of the Walls (2021), Breaking Dawn (2022), Shield and Arrow (2023)
Escalating tensions and protests:
Great March of Return (2018–19), lone-actor violence (2015–16, 2022)
Hamas’ statement: Drawn from long-term issues—blockade, occupation, settlements, and alleged international complicity
Let me know if you’d like specifics on any one of those operations or the contexts around them!
You said:
tell me more about the 16 year old long blockade, was this in effect on 10/7
ChatGPT said:
Yes — the blockade was very much in effect on October 7, 2023, and in fact it had been one of Hamas’ main stated justifications for the attack.
Origins of the Gaza Blockade
2005 – Israel’s “Disengagement”
Israel withdrew its permanent military presence and settlements from Gaza but kept control of Gaza’s borders, airspace, and coastline.
2006–2007 – Hamas’ rise to power
After Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections in 2006 and violently took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel (together with Egypt on the Rafah border) imposed a blockade.
Israel said it was to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza.
Palestinians and international observers described it as collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population.
Thus, by 2007, the blockade was firmly in place — and it lasted 16 years up through October 2023.
Nature of the Blockade
Movement restrictions:
Severe limits on who could enter/exit Gaza (permits mostly for urgent medical cases, limited traders).
Air and sea access completely controlled by Israel.
Goods and trade controls:
Imports were restricted to a limited “humanitarian list” (food staples, medicine, fuel).
Construction materials, electronics, and many everyday goods were blocked or heavily regulated.
Exports were almost entirely banned for years, later allowed in very limited quantities.
Humanitarian impact:
Electricity shortages (rolling blackouts 12–20 hours per day).
High unemployment (often 40–50%, especially among youth).
Widespread reliance on international aid.
UN, Red Cross, and NGOs repeatedly warned of a humanitarian crisis and described Gaza as “unlivable” under blockade conditions.
Status as of October 2023
By October 7, 2023:
The blockade was still fully in effect, jointly enforced by Israel and Egypt.
Hamas and other groups regularly framed it as siege warfare depriving 2+ million Gazans of normal life.
The UN and humanitarian agencies had been calling for its easing or lifting for years.
Israeli governments maintained it was essential to restrict Hamas’ access to weapons (rockets, drones, explosives).
When Hamas launched the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack on October 7, they explicitly referenced the “16-year siege of Gaza” as a central grievance.
✅ Answer in short:
Yes — the blockade was still in place on 10/7/23, and it had been in continuous effect since 2007, making it 16 years old at that point. It was one of Hamas’ main stated reasons for carrying out the attack.
Do you want me to break down how the blockade changed over time (2007–2023), or just the snapshot of what it looked like in 2023?
You said:
and what are some other grievances not specific to gaza that hamas had?
ChatGPT said:
Good question — Hamas didn’t frame October 7, 2023, as only about Gaza. In their statements and in wider Palestinian discourse, they pointed to a broader set of grievances that affected Palestinians outside Gaza as well. Here are the main categories:
1. Jerusalem & Al-Aqsa Mosque
Hamas has long portrayed itself as a defender of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s holy sites.
They frequently condemned:
Israeli police raids inside the mosque (notably during Ramadan 2021, April 2022, and April 2023).
Restrictions on Muslim worshippers.
Jewish settler groups ascending the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif under police protection.
October 7 was branded “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, underlining that Hamas was linking the attack to the perceived “desecration” of Al-Aqsa.
2. Settlement Expansion in the West Bank
Continuous growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which Hamas and the broader Palestinian movement see as illegal land grabs.
This includes:
Expansion of settlement blocs.
Construction of bypass roads.
Seizure of Palestinian farmland and demolitions of homes.
3. Settler & Military Violence in the West Bank
Hamas cited the rise of settler violence against Palestinians in rural areas (arson, shootings, destruction of olive groves).
Israeli military raids in cities like Jenin and Nablus in 2022–2023 (Operation “Break the Wave”) left many dead and were portrayed as assaults on all Palestinians, not just Gazans.
4. Detentions & Prisoners
Thousands of Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including:
Political leaders and activists.
Minors and people under “administrative detention” (imprisoned without formal charges).
Hamas consistently demands their release and uses prisoner issues as rallying cries.
5. Occupation & Restrictions in East Jerusalem
Evictions and demolitions in neighborhoods like Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan became flashpoints (especially in 2021).
Hamas points to the broader policy of displacing Palestinians from East Jerusalem to change its demographic balance.
6. General Palestinian National Cause
Beyond specific incidents, Hamas frames itself as resisting:
The occupation of all Palestinian territories (West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem).
The denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return (per UN Resolution 194).
What they view as Israeli and Western efforts to normalize occupation through regional agreements (like the Abraham Accords).
🔑 In summary
Outside Gaza, Hamas’ key grievances included:
Al-Aqsa Mosque/holy site raids
Settlement expansion
Settler & military violence in the West Bank
Mass imprisonment of Palestinians
Evictions & demolitions in East Jerusalem
The broader occupation and denial of refugee rights
These were central to Hamas’ rhetoric leading up to October 7, often framed as defending all Palestinians and not just Gazans.
👉 Do you want me to also lay out a timeline of flashpoints (like 2021 Sheikh Jarrah + Al-Aqsa, 2022 Jenin raids, 2023 Ramadan clashes), so you can see the buildup chronologically?
(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5771383&forum_id=2Vannesa#49248184)