Attack on Israel

Task 1. What is defined below?

__________ - a Palestinian political and militant organization that operates primarily in the Gaza Strip. It is classified as a terrorist
group by some countries, including Israel and the United States.

__________ - a narrow strip of land located along the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel to the east and north and Egypt
to the southwest. It is a densely populated and politically contentious territory. It is home to the Palestinian population and is
governed by the Palestinian political organization Hamas. It has been a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has
experienced multiple conflicts and blockades over the years.

Task 2. How do you understand this title: How Hamas duped Israel as it planned devastating attack. Explain the meaning of to
dupe.

Task 3. Scan the article and find words/phrases corresponding to the Polish translations below (relevant words/phrases are
marked in bold).

odwet naruszenie zaskoczyć oszustwo, podstęp zachęty ekonomiczne

taktyka wywiadowcza zmylić, wprowadzić w błąd bezprecedensowy prowadzić wojnę znużony wojną

How Hamas duped Israel as it planned devastating attack

By Samia Nakhoul and Jonathan Saul Source: reuters.com

Oct 9 (Reuters) - A careful campaign of deception ensured Israel was caught off guard when the Palestinian Islamist group
Hamas launched its devastating attack, enabling a force using bulldozers, hang gliders (=lotnia, lotniarz) and motorbikes to take
on the Middle East's most powerful army.

Saturday's assault, the worst breach in Israel's defences since Arab armies waged war in 1973, followed two years of subterfuge
(=fortel, podstęp) by Hamas that involved keeping its military plans under wraps and convincing Israel it did not want a fight.

While Israel was led to believe it was containing a war-weary Hamas by providing economic incentives to Gazan workers, the
group's fighters were being trained and drilled, often in plain sight, a source close to Hamas said.

"Hamas used an unprecedented intelligence tactic to mislead Israel over the last months, by giving a public impression that it
was not willing to go into a fight or confrontation with Israel while preparing for this massive operation," the source said.

Israel concedes it was caught off guard by an attack timed to coincide with the Jewish Sabbath and a religious holiday. Hamas
fighters stormed into Israeli towns, killing 700 Israelis and abducting dozens. Israel has killed more than 400 Palestinians in its
retaliation on Gaza since then.

"This is our 9/11," said Major Nir Dinar, spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces. "They got us."

"They surprised us and they came fast from many spots - both from the air and the ground and the sea."

Task 4. Read the text again and answer the questions below.

1. According to Reuters and Israeli sources, why was Hamas’s attack so successful? Identify all reasons mentioned.
2. What strategy did Israel employ to address the Hamas issue? Was it a military strategy? Find the relevant fragment and
clarify its significance.
3. How has Israel responded to the attack?
4. The recent attack was compared to a significant 21st-century event. Which event? Do you think the comparison is
warranted?

Task 5. Discuss:

How important is the element of surprise in the planning of a military attack? Can you provide some historical/cultural
examples?