driven by Hamas demands for economic relief or a loosening of Israeli restrictions around Gaza, this round was
fueled by the group’s apparent desire to assert its leadership (https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-
analysis/hamas-israel-violence-context-and-trajectory) over the Palestinian cause. On the heels of canceled
legislative elections and Jerusalem protests, Hamas saw an opportunity to cast itself as the holy city’s protector at the
expense of its Fatah rivals. And once intercommunal unrest and clashes broke out inside Israel and the West Bank,
the group believed it had a chance to enflame the entire Palestinian arena.
The military showdown began when Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem on May 10. In response, Israel sought to
severely degrade the military capabilities of both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in order to restore long-
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Grant Rumley (/experts/grant-rumley)
Grant Rumley is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he specializes in military and security affairs in the Middle East.
Neri Zilber (/experts/neri-zilber)
Neri Zilber, a journalist and analyst on Middle East politics and culture, is an adjunct fellow of The Washington Institute.
Both sides employed new methods in this round, and while Israel’s were more
effective in military terms, the true measure of success will depend on how
quickly Hamas can rebuild its warfighting capabilities and exploit any political
