Explained: Power Centres In Israel, Gaza, West Bank Amid A Raging War

Israel on Saturday woke up to a massive terror attack by the Hamas group that broke through Tel Aviv's impregnable Iron Dome, firing over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip, and breached the security barrier to infiltrate Israel.

Hamas terrorists came in vehicles, boats, and paragliders and the land-sea-air attack stunned Israel as it was caught off-guard in what is being seen as a major intelligence failure. Over 600 Israelis have died since the attacks began on Saturday, a day of Sabbath and a Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.

The terror strikes have turned the global focus back on the at-war neighbours - Palestine And Israel. Here's a look at the power centres in Israel, West Bank, and Gaza.

Israel

The two most powerful men in Israel currently are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. They are the decision-makers of Israel, battered by unparalleled terror attacks that began at the dawn of the Sabbath.

PM Netanyahu was voted back to power in December last year. The coalition partners of his government - known to be the most right-wing government - are asking the PM to wipe out Gaza

Gaza

The Gaza Strip is an impoverished Palestinian enclave under an Israeli blockade since 2007. It is under the control of Hamas, which launched an unprecedented 5,000-rocket attack on Israel on Saturday.

Over two million people live in Gaza - a 362-square-kilometre strip of land and one of the world's most densely populated places.

The power in this Strip rests with Hamas chief and political spokesperson Ismail Haniyeh and his military chief Mohammed Deif.

Haniyeh has a good rapport with the Arab world, including Lebanon and Hezbollah, and Qatar, which funds Gaza and the West Bank.

Deif, on the other hand, handles operations, plans and executes attacks and the group's defence.

West Bank

Hamas called on "resistance fighters in the West Bank" and in "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle against Israel.

The West Bank is a landlocked territory bordered by Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east and by Israel to the south, west, and north. It is a part of Palestine under President Mahmoud Abbas and the government is called the Palestinian Authority. Mr Abbas has been a President for nearly two decades now. Interestingly, India assisted with the last elections held in the West Bank.