Analysis: Understanding the Threats of a 'World Terror Day' on October 13
How To Protect Yourself
Overt Operator
October 12, 2023
Analysis
Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for protests across the Muslim world on Friday in support of the Palestinians and for the peoples of neighboring countries to join the fight against Israel. Meshaal's statements were seen as a threatening call for world jihad violence, stoking global fears about the spillover fallout of the war between Israel and Hamas.
The Threat
"[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday," Meshaal, who currently heads Hamas's diaspora office, said in a recorded statement sent to Reuters.
Meshaal, who is based in Qatar, said the governments and peoples of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt have a bigger duty to support the Palestinians.
"Tribes of Jordan, sons of Jordan, brothers and sisters of Jordan... This is a moment of truth and the borders are close to you, you all know your responsibility," Meshaal said.
Jordan and Lebanon are home to the largest number of Palestinian refugees.
Meshaal’s call came as Israel vowed to escalate its response to an attack by Hamas with a ground offensive. This came after Israeli fighter jets struck more than 200 targets in Gaza city. Gaza's health ministry said at least 950 people had been killed, at the time of this report, and 5,000 had been injured.
On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history.
"To all scholars who teach jihad... to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application (of theories)," Meshaal said.Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal made a recent rally call for protests. Analysts are concerned that protests can erupt into demonstrations of violence.
What Analysts Anticipate
Overt Operator’s analysis urges caution to world Jewish communities. Threats observed appear to be directed in protest to all anti-Hamas, pro-Israel, pro-Jewish organizations. Our team’s subject matter expert expects possible escalations along the border of Israel, as the call from Meshaal was seen as a direct push to press against Israel’s border.
Protests may likewise escalate into violence in areas with large Jewish populations.
The risk of escalation is a present threat, as protests have already commenced across the Western world, including in Australia, Canada, and Europe. Our subject matter expert cautions that these protests can become volatile and warns that the major concern is to deter physical violence.
Analysis Corroboration and Corresponding Issues
Our analysis reviewed research on correspondence between open-source researchers of various media backgrounds, and misinformation tactics Hamas employed evident across social media.
Ovet Operator corroborated our analysis by comparing notes with a variety of other media analysis. For the sake of neutrality, we reviewed analysis by a variety of outlets of various political affiliations and opinion leanings. Our corroboration included reports from PBS News Hour, which highlighted a “skirmish” at a recent Israel-Palestine protest, the research of the conservative-leaning news website Ricochet, who spoke with the pro-western Islamic population via social media to understand the context of Meshaal’s warning.
In addition to western media analysis of the subject, journalist Swati Goel Sharma with the Indian magazine Swarajya called for readers to remain “vigilant” as threats of aggravated violence at global protests were analyzed.
How Communities Should Prepare
Overt Operator will be monitoring developments on this issue over the course of October 13. Jewish communities and other communities with a vested concern can use some of the following resources to prepare for potential threats.
Protection at Protests
Should you choose to attend a political rally or need to be in an area where rallies will be held in association with recent events, Scientific American provides the following guidelines. The guidelines were created for protesters, but we analyze those who may be near a dangerous event can also apply these precautions:
Wear protective goggles or lenses to prevent damage to your eyes from escalation debris or anti-violence law enforcement controls such as rubber bullets.
Ear plugs or protective head gear may lessen the impact of damaging-level noise. Hearing loss can cause disorientation, so protecting your hearing can prevent you becoming disoriented from this impact in large gatherings.
Wear long sleeves and long-legged pants to protect your skin from glass or debris.
Protection From Terror Attacks
The Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom provided general guidelines for self-preservation during a terror attack or as an extra precaution from anticipated violent escalations.
Be alert of anything that looks suspicious. Watch for people in stationary vehicles, vehicles moving slowly near public facilities, or vehicles parked in suspicious circumstances.
If you observe someone “suspicious” paying close attentions to entry points, exits, and other sensitive parts of the architecture of public facilities, exercise caution.
If you see someone enter an “off-limits” area, be alert. Call your local law enforcement if you anticipate that something is suspicious. The Metro UK notes to “trust your instincts.”