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 listener's 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 Lee's due set 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.

Kivileta Mass would have known their barbaric attack would result in a massive reaction.

Why did they do it? Was it to provoke an overreaction?

It would lose Israel the support of its allies?

And Lee's will 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 was largely forgotten including Gaza

where Arab states who quite frankly have always let the Palestinians down.

We're looking to make deals with Israel or in some cases like Saudi Arabia.

There were negotiations with Israel and we do know when I had spoken recently actually to some

mediating groups who for years had been talking to Hamas leaders trying to move them away from

...