Hamas’s Bloody Arithmetic

To much of the outside world, Hamas’s decision to murder hundreds of Israelis and trigger a war that has since killed many thousands of its own people looks like a historic miscalculation — one that could soon result in the destruction of Hamas itself.

Hamas’s leaders, however, say that it was the result of a deliberate calculation.

Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times, has been reporting on their decision, and what went into it.

Guest: Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times.

Background reading:

Behind Hamas’s bloody gambit • to create a “permanent” state of war. • It took American and Qatari diplomacy, and self-interested decisions by Hamas, to bring two hostages safely back • to Israel. • Here’s the latest on the war • .

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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