Hi, Yasmin here. I just want to acknowledge that today's show is part of a fast-moving news story.

So for the very latest, head over to sleet.com. Okay, here's the show.

The death toll and the level of suffering in Israel and in Gaza has worsened since the attack by Hamas on October 7th.

Now Israel has declared war and ordered more than a million Palestinians to relocate.

I've been, you know, following the conflict and I've lived in Israel and I've been following it for now, you know, three decades.

And honestly, I don't think I can recall as difficult a week as this past week.

Dove Waxman is a professor of political science at UCLA, and he leads the Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at the university.

He's still processing the initial surprise attack by Hamas.

The killings, the taking of hostages.

Then, the retaliatory airstrikes by Israel

and the forced evacuation of Palestinians in Gaza.

It's a very emotionally conflicting time, because on the one hand, you want to kind of mourn and grieve

the loss of life and the terror that Israelis have suffered.

And at the same time, also remain empathetic and compassionate about the plight of

Gazans now suffering under Israel's airstrikes and now also

being forced to leave their homes.

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed an emergency unity government, bringing in a more centrist

political rival. The move was meant to increase trust in Israel's leaders, something Dove says

Netanyahu has lost.

I think many, many Israelis felt completely abandoned by their government. First of all, many

felt abandoned by the IDF on the day of the attack.

And the following day, given how long it took the IDF to actually send troops over toward the communities in the Gaza Strip to try to protect them.

...