Compiled by Ryder Zufi
Hamas spent 17 years preparing the Gaza Strip as a killing ground for Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians. By building its complex, extensive tunnel system and integrating military operations throughout civilian infrastructure, Hamas created a situation in which its own destruction could be achieved only through Gaza’s devastation and at extreme cost to Israel. The strategy has always included the goal of increasing hatred between Israelis and Palestinians in an effort to make coexistence impossible.