A list of articles and books to provide needed information on the unfolding war between Israel and Hamas.

 The UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies understands the imperative for clear and effective information in these days of online misinformation and uncertainty. We have assembled this list of sources to provide needed background information and context, and answers to some of the most pressing questions regarding the October 7th Hamas terror attack and the unfolding war between Israel and Hamas.

We have included two types of sources: books for those of you who want a deeper long-view understanding of the historical context, and articles for those of you who are looking for shorter and more specific primers. 

We have done our best to select unbiased sources that are balanced and analytical, but we also emphasize the importance of reading broadly and synthesizing information from multiple perspectives. This is true for both books and articles.

Please note that this is a rapidly changing situation. The sources posted here may contain information that is not up-to-date at the time that you are visiting this page.

The views or opinions of the authors of these sources do not necessarily reflect the views of the UCLA Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Linking to their articles does not constitute an endorsement of the author’s views or opinions.

Books

1. Dov Waxman, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: What Everyone Needs to Know (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). Read excerpt from Ch 5 "The Occupied Territories." Read excerpt "How has Hamas' rule and Israel's blockade affected Palestinians in Gaza?"
2. Said Aly, Abdel Monem, Shai Feldman, and Khalīl Shiqāqī, Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).
3. James L. Gelvin, The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War (London: Cambridge University Press, 2014).
4. Shaul Mishal and Avraham Sela.  The Palestinian Hamas: Vision, Violence, and Coexistence.  2d ed.  New York: Columbia University Press, 2006.
5. Joeren Gunning, Hamas in Politics: Democracy, Religion, Violence. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008.
6. Azzam Tamimi, Hamas: Unwritten Chapters. New and updated ed.  London: Hurst and Co., 2009.
7. Tareq Baconi, Hamas Contained
8. Khaled Hroub, Hamas: Political Thought and Practice (Washington: Institute for Palestine Studies, 2000)
9. Beverley Milton-Edwards, “The Ascendance of Political Islam: Hamas and consolidation in the Gaza Strip,” Third World Quarterly 29:8 (2008), 1585–1599.
10. Daniel Byman, “How to Handle Hamas: The Perils of Ignoring Gaza’s Leadership,” Foreign Affairs 89:5 (2010), 45-62.
11. Meir Litvak, “The Islamization of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: The Case of Hamas,” Middle Eastern Studies 34, 1 (1998): 148-163.

Articles

1. Kali Robinson (Council on Foreign Relations), “Who What is Hamas? What to know about its origins, leaders and funding” PBS News Hour, October 10, 2023.
2. Steven A. Cook, “The Hamas Attack Has Changed Everything.” Foreign Policy, October 9, 2023.
3. Maha Nassar, “The Gaza Strip: Why the History of the Densely Populated Enclave is Key to Understanding the Current Conflict” The Conversation, October 10, 2023.
4. “What Gaza Infrastructure Has Been Damaged Since Israel Declared War?” Al Jazeera, October 13, 2023.
5. Joe Macaron, “Analysis: Why Did Hamas Attack Now and What is Next?” Al Jazeera, October 11, 2023.
6. Marc Fisher, “Hamas Terror Tactics Test Israel’s War Strategy.” Washington Post, October  10, 2023.
7. Peter Martin, Katrina Manson, and Henry Meyer. “Few Good Options as Israel Weighs a Ground Assault on the Gaza Strip.” October 10, 2023.
8. Nahal Toosi. “How big is this going to get? What to watch for in the Israel-Hamas battle.” Politico. October 10, 2023.
9. Brian Katz, “A Second Front in Israel’s War?” Foreign Affairs. October 10, 2023.
10. Topher L. MacDougal, “Gaza depends on UN and other global aid groups for food, medicine and basic services – Israel-Hamas war means nothing is getting in” The Conversation, October 12, 2023.
11. Amy Zegart, “Israel’s Intelligence Disaster,” Foreign Affairs, October 12, 2023.
12. Maha Nassar, “The Gaza Strip − why the history of the densely populated enclave is key to understanding the current conflict,” The Conversation, October 12, 2023.
13. Mitali Mukherjee, “Israel-Gaza Conflict: when social media fakes are rampant, news verification is vital,” The Conversation, October 13, 2023.
14. Amaney A. Jamal and Michael Robbins, "What Palestinians Really Think of Hamas." Foreign Affairs, October 25, 2023.
    
    

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