This is a global news podcast special from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jackie Leonard in London, and this is our second special edition with listeners' questions

on what's going on in Israel and Gaza.

We're recording this podcast at 1730 GMT on Friday the 20th of October.

With us to provide some answers, clarity and context is Lees Doucette in southern Israel.

She is the BBC's chief international correspondent and also hosts the conflict podcast.

And in Jerusalem we have Jeremy Bowen, our international editor.

There is a lot to talk about.

So let's get started.

We don't know how events in Gaza and Israel will unfold in the coming hours, much less days,

but as soon as Hamas attacked on October the 7th, there was no doubt that Israel would respond.

So let's start with this question.

Hello, this is David from Sydney, Australia.

Given that a mess would have known their barbaric attack would result in a massive reaction.

Why did they do it?

Was it to provoke an overreaction that would lose Israel the support of its allies?

And Lees will come to you for that one. I think you'd have to look at a very... an overreaction that would lose Israel the support of its allies.

And, Liz, we'll come to you for that one.

I think you'd have to look at a very broad canvas to get the reasons why they would have done it.

They wanted to get the attention of the world.

They did that.

It was a time in which the Palestinian question

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