Conflicts have broken out between Israel and Gaza several times over the years. But this past weekend saw Hamas launch a surprise attack unlike any other before.

Hamas killed over a thousand people, took others hostage, and even assumed control of several Israeli communities. Israel's military was caught completely unaware.

Now the Israeli military has laid siege to Gaza. Retaliatory Israeli air strikes have killed at least 800 Palestinians and displaced around 200 thousand people. They've cut off fuel, electricity and food supplies into the area.

How did we get to this point?

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Tal Schneider, political and diplomatic correspondent for the Times of Israel, and Shibley Telhami, the Anwar Sadat professor of peace and development at the University of Maryland.

Additional reporting in this episode by Daniel Estrin and Aya Batrawy.

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