ABSTRACT
The conflict between Israel and Palestine continued unabated throughout 2018. Violence peaked in the Gaza Strip, where the socio-economic situation deteriorated sharply. The Israel Defense Forces is the most capable military force in the Middle East, with equipment and training that considerably overmatch the conventional capability of other regional armed forces. Hamas is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist group, formed in 1987 at the start of the first intifada against Israel’s occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. It has been designated a terrorist group by the US and the European Union, but many Palestinians view it as a legitimate resistance group. Hamas’s ultimate goal is the defeat of Israel. Since its inception, Hamas has tried to institute itself as a legitimate resistance force while maintaining an offensive role against Israel. The relationship between Fatah and Hamas remained tense and fragile in 2018, making it difficult to unify Palestinian claims under a coherent voice and fuelling.
