This is the current affairs of 5 to 7 October 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. After the attack of which organization did Israel declare war?
a. Al Qaeda
b. Hamas
c. Wagner Group
d. Taliban
Answer: b. Hamas
– After the Hamas attack, there were also attacks from Lebanon towards Israel. Israel has responded to this with a full-scale counterattack.
– By 12 noon on October 8, 300 people, including the Commander of the Israeli Defense Forces, Brigadier General Nahal, and 256 Palestinians, have lost their lives. Thousands are injured.
– Amid deteriorating conditions in Israel, the Indian Embassy there has issued an advisory for its citizens present in the area. They have been advised to stay alert and safe. Moreover, flights to and from Israel have been suspended. Prime Minister Modi has said that India stands with the people of Israel in these challenging times.
Hamas attacked from three sides
– Palestine is divided into two parts. On one side is the West Bank of Israel, and on the other side is Gaza or Gaza Strip. It covers an area of only 365 square kilometers.
– Gaza Strip is under the control of Hamas. It has been declared a terrorist organization by both Israel and the United States.
– Hamas carried out an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, named “Al-Aqsa Strom.”
– This attack was conducted through sea, air, and land (all three).
– Hamas claims that it fired 5,000 rockets on dozens of Israeli cities in just one hour.
– Israel had previously intercepted rocket attacks using the Iron Dome air defense system.
– However, this time, the sheer number of rocket attacks overwhelmed the system.
– Hamas fighters took to the streets in vehicles, firing indiscriminate shots.
– Parasails were used for the attack, which is a first.
– Prior to this, attackers used tunnels for infiltration, but Israel had prepared for this. So, tunnel infiltrations have been reduced.
– However, this time’s attack was intense, with Hamas fighters landing on the streets via gliders.
– There was also an attack in the southern area, Tel Aviv, where most of the embassies of various countries are located.
– This not only shocked Israel but also alarmed most of the countries around the world.
Israel declares ‘Swords of Iron’ war
– After the shocking attack by Hamas, Israel has declared a war against Hamas.
– Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the public. He said, “This war could be prolonged. We will use our defense forces to eliminate Hamas. People in Gaza should evacuate. What happened today is something Israel has never seen before, and we will not let it happen again. Hamas wants to kill us all. They are targeting mothers and children in their homes. They are an enemy that targets the elderly, children, and girls.”
First-time attack of this kind on Israel
– Israel has been at war with several Arab countries before, but an attack of this nature has occurred on it for the first time since 1948.
– It is believed that Israelis possess the most robust intelligence. Their intelligence agency, Mossad, is famous for it.
– It was believed that Israel’s tracking system was difficult to breach.
– It was also said that Israel had made its country so secure that not even a bird could fly over it without permission.
– However, Hamas has proven this wrong.
Why did Hamas launch the attack?
– Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif had stated on Saturday that this attack is in retaliation to Israel’s desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
– In reality, Israeli police had thrown grenades into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in April 2023.
– Hamas spokesperson Ghazi Hamad had said to Al Jazeera that this action is a response to those Arab countries that are getting closer to Israel.
– In recent days, there were reports in the media that the first Saudi-Israeli meeting could be recognized by the United States as a step towards normalizing relations.
Jerusalem Dispute
– Jews consider Jerusalem their home, claiming that this land was given to Abraham and his descendants by God. A wall of their holy site is present there.
– Al-Aqsa Mosque is also located here, which is a point of contention.
Iran Supports Hamas Against Western Country Israel
– There is a global reaction to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.
– Western countries like the United States, Britain, and France have condemned Hamas’s attacks, while Iran has supported Hamas.
Hamas: How and Why it Formed
– Even after the birth of Israel in 1948, the struggle with Palestine continued at every level.
– When Israel felt that it was becoming weaker diplomatically in front of Palestine, it, in the 1970s, fostered a radical organization in Palestine against moderate Palestinian leaders.
– This organization was named Hamas. However, Hamas’s official establishment is recognized in 1987.
– Former Israeli General Yitzhak Segev had said, “The policy of killing with poison was a historic mistake. The Israeli government had even allocated a budget for Hamas. We regret this even today.” He had also served as the governor of Gaza in the 1980s.
– Hamas gradually sidelined the liberal leadership of Palestine and became the flag-bearer of the Palestinian movement. It primarily consists of about 90% young Palestinians.
– Hamas receives funding from Turkey and Qatar.
– A Hamas leader, Khalid Meshaal, even opened an office in Qatar.
– Iran also provides weapons and financial support to Hamas, despite the fact that Iran is a Shia country while most of the Arab world is Sunni.
– According to ‘Times of Israel,’ Hamas has around 27,000 members, divided into 6 regional brigades, 25 battalions, and 106 companies. Their commanders change frequently.
How Israel Was Established
– This dates back to 1917. After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, Britain took control of Palestine. At that time, the majority of the population in Palestine was Arab Muslims, and Jews were a minority.
– Between 1920 and 1940, an anti-Jewish sentiment began to rise in Europe. During this period, Britain, as the Mandatory Power, was entrusted with the task of creating a separate homeland for Jews in Palestine. It was during this time that Hitler’s army committed mass atrocities against Jews during the Second World War. As World War II came to an end, Western countries realized that Arab countries could become dominant due to their vast oil reserves. In this context, the work towards establishing Israel began.
– Between 1947 and 1948, without finding a solution to the problem of a homeland for Jews, the British withdrew from Palestine. With the support of Western countries, Jewish leaders declared the establishment of Israel on May 14, 1948, leading to an eight-month-long war. On one side were Arab countries, and on the other side was Israel with the backing of Western nations. Palestinians were displaced from their land during this conflict. Arab Muslims commemorate this day as “Al-Nakba,” meaning the day of catastrophe. By July 1949, Israeli forces had displaced more than 700,000 Palestinians.
– In 1949, a ceasefire was announced, bringing the war to a halt. Most of Palestine had fallen under Israeli control by that time. The land under Jordanian control was referred to as the West Bank, while the area under Egyptian control was called Gaza. The capital of Palestine, Jerusalem, was divided into two parts. Israeli forces took control of the portion under Jordan’s jurisdiction. The remaining part remained with Palestine. Despite this, Israel continued to expand its territory, gradually taking control of areas that were not initially under its jurisdiction.
– In 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was established to secure Palestine’s independence from Israel. In response, Israel facilitated the creation of Hamas and provided support (although this support later soured).
– In 1967, Israel defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, capturing East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights. This conflict is known as the Six-Day War. Jewish settlements were established in the areas captured by Israel, displacing thousands of Palestinians from their homes.
– In 1973, under the leadership of Egypt, a group of Arab countries once again attacked Israel. However, with the assistance of the United States, Israel defeated the Arab countries and took control of many territories, although Israel later relinquished control of Egyptian territories.
– In 1974, under United Nations (UN) Resolution 181, Palestine was divided into two parts: one for Jews and the other for Arab Muslims. Jerusalem was declared an international city. Jewish leaders accepted this UN proposal, but Arab countries rejected it.
– In 1978, Egypt and Israel attempted to reach an agreement through the Camp David Accords, but it was not implemented.
– From 1979 to 2005, there were several minor conflicts. During this period, Israel gradually withdrew from the West Bank.
– In 2006, after 38 years of occupation, Israeli forces withdrew from the city of Gaza. Subsequently, elections were held, and Hamas won.
– By 2008, Hamas had grown in strength and turned against Israel. During this period, Palestinian militants launched attacks against Israel, prompting Israeli military responses. Many casualties resulted from these clashes.
– In 2012, Israel assassinated Hamas’ military chief, Ahmed Jabari, leading to rocket attacks from Gaza. Israel responded with airstrikes.
– Similar incidents occurred in 2014.
– In 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The United States opened its first embassy there, which had been relocated from Tel Aviv.
– In 2023, Hamas launched its largest-ever attack on Israel.
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2. Which cricket team won the gold medal in the T-20 International of the 19th Asian Games?
a. Nepal
b. India
c. Bangladesh
d. Afghanistan
Answer: b. India
– On October 7, 2023, the final match between India and Afghanistan was canceled due to rain.
– Afghanistan had scored 112/5 in 18.2 overs before the match had to be canceled due to rain.
– As per the rules of the Asian Games, India, the team with a better ranking, was declared the winner. – Therefore, India became the gold medalist without batting.
– The captain of the Indian cricket team was Rituraj Gaikwad.
Note: Afghanistan won the silver medal at the 19th Asian Games.
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3. Which country has won the gold medal in men’s Kabaddi in the 19th Asian Games?
a. China
b. India
c. Nepal
d. Bahrain
Answer: b. India
– On October 7, 2023, in the 19th Asian Games, India defeated Iran and won the gold medal.
– In a tense final, the Indian men’s kabaddi team defeated the Iranian men’s kabaddi team 33-29.
– This was the eighth gold medal for men’s kabaddi in the Asian Games.
Gold Medal Wins Over the Years:
– Asian Games 2022 (Held in the year 2023)
– Year 2014
– Year 2010
– Year 2006
– Year 2002
– Year 1998
– Year 1994
– Year 1990
– Men’s kabaddi has been a part of the Asian Games since 1990.
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4. Which country has won the gold medal in women’s Kabaddi in the 19th Asian Games?
a. India
b. China
c. Nepal
d. Bahrain
Answer: a. India
– On October 7, 2023, in the 19th Asian Games, India defeated the team from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and won the gold medal.
– In the final, the Indian women’s kabaddi team defeated the Chinese Taipei women’s kabaddi team 26-25.
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5. Which team won the 100th medal for India in the 19th Asian Games?
a. Women’s Kabaddi Team
b. Women’s Cricket Team
c. Men’s Archery Team
d. Men’s Hockey Team
Answer: a. Women’s Kabaddi Team
– This is a historic achievement for India.
– This is India’s third gold medal in women’s kabaddi.
– Prior to this, India had won gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 editions.
– India defeated the team from Chinese Taipei to win this gold medal.
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6. Which Indian players won the gold medal in the mixed squash doubles tournament at the 19th Asian Games?
a. Shiva Narwal and Deepika Pallikal
b. Deepika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Sandhu
c. Harinder Pal Sandhu and Aishwarya Mishra
d. None of these
Answer: b. Deepika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Sandhu
– On October 5, 2023, India defeated Malaysia in the final with scores of 11-10, 11-10.
– India: Deepika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Sandhu (Mixed Doubles)
– Malaysia: Aifa Azman and Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (Mixed Doubles)
– Note: Squash mixed doubles tournament is being introduced for the first time in the Asian Games.
What is Squash?
– Squash is a racket sport played by two players (or four for mixed doubles) on a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball.
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7. Which country has won the gold medal in men’s hockey in the 19th Asian Games?
a. India
b. China
c. Nepal
d. Bahrain
Answer: a. India
– On October 6, 2023, India defeated Japan 5-1, securing a victory for themselves.
– With this win, India has qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024.
– This is India’s third gold medal in men’s hockey.
– Prior to this, India won gold medals in the 1966, 1988, and 2014 editions.
Which player made important contribution?
– In this victory, Indian players Manpreet Singh (captain), Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Abhishek, and Tanaka Seren made significant contributions.
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8. Which players’ men’s compound team won the gold medal in archery in the 19th Asian Games?
a. Shiva Narwal, Arjun Singh and Sarabjit Singh
b. Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale and Prathamesh Javakar
c. Arjun Singh, Anand AS and Sarabjit Singh
d. None of these
Answer: b. Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale and Prathamesh Javakar
– The Indian men’s compound archery team won a gold medal in the finals of archery on October 5, 2023.
– In the final, this team defeated South Korea 235-230 to win the gold medal.
Abhishek Verma:
– He is an Indian archer.
– He was born on June 26, 1989, in New Delhi.
– He works as an Income Tax Inspector in the Income Tax Department.
– He received the Arjuna Award in the year 2014.
Ojas Pravin Deotale:
– He is an Indian archer.
– He hails from Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Prathamesh Javakar:
– He is an Indian archer.
– He is from Buldana, Maharashtra.
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9. Which players’ women’s compound team won the gold medal in archery in the 19th Asian Games?
a. Jyoti Surekha, Aditi Swami and Preneet Kaur
b. Jyoti Surekha, Suman Sharma and Dolly Singh
c. Aishwarya Mishra, Prachi and Subha Venkatesan
d. None of these
Answer: a. Jyoti Surekha, Aditi Swami and Preneet Kaur
– The Indian women’s compound archery team won a gold medal in the archery finals on October 5, 2023.
– In the final, they defeated the Chinese Taipei opponents by one point.
– In the last three arrows, this team scored 60 out of 60 points to defeat their third-place opponents 230-229.
Jyoti Surekha:
– She is an Indian archer.
– She was born on July 3, 1996, in Hyderabad.
– Her father is a former kabaddi player.
Aditi Swami:
– She is an Indian archer.
– She was born on June 15, 2006, in Satara, Maharashtra.
Parnit Kaur:
She is an Indian archer.
She hails from Mansa, Punjab.
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10. Which players’ mixed compound team won the gold medal in archery in the 19th Asian Games?
a. Shiva Narwal and Jyothi Surekha Vennam
b. Ojas Pravin Deotale and Jyoti Surekha Vennam
c. Arjun Singh and Aishwarya Mishra
d. None of these
Answer: b. Ojas Pravin Deotale and Jyoti Surekha Vennam
– Ojas Pravin Deotale and Jyoti Surekha are both Indian athletes.
– Both of them defeated the South Korean pair (So Che Won and Ju Ja Hoon) by 159-158.
– This was India’s first medal in archery competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
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11. Which Indian player won the gold medal in javelin throw in the 19th Asian Games?
a. Shiva Narwal
b. Kishore Jenna
c. Neeraj Chopra
d. Sarabjeet Singh
Answer: c. Neeraj Chopra
– On October 4, 2023, Neeraj Chopra won a gold medal with a best throw of 88.88 meters.
– Prior to this, he had won a gold medal at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.
Previous medals won by Neeraj Chopra:
– In the 2022 World Championship, he won a silver medal with a throw of 88.13 meters.
– In 2021, he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
– He also secured gold for the country in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
– In 2016, Neeraj Chopra won gold at the Under-20 World Championship.
Neeraj Chopra hails from Haryana:
– Neeraj Chopra was born on December 24, 1997.
– He is from the village of Khandra in Panipat, Haryana.
– Neeraj’s father, Satish Kumar, is a small farmer.
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12. Which Indian player won the silver medal in javelin throw in the 19th Asian Games?
a. Shiva Narwal
b. Kishore Jena
c. Neeraj Chopra
d. Sarabjeet Singh
Answer: b. Kishore Jena
– On October 4, 2023, Kishore Jena won a silver medal with a best throw of 87.54 meters.
– With this victory, he also qualified for the 2024 Olympics.
– This is Kishore Jena first Asian Games.
– Note: Japan’s Deen Roderick Genki finished third in javelin throw with a throw of 82.68 meters.
About Kishore Jena:
– Kishore Jena was born on September 6, 1995.
– He is an Indian track and field athlete.
– He competes in the javelin throw.
– He hails from the village of Kothasahi in Puri district, Odisha.
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13. Which country won the gold medal in the men’s 4×400 meter relay race in the 19th Asian Games?
a. China
b. Japan
c. Nepal
d. India
Answer: d. India
– On October 4, 2023, the Indian team (consisting of Anas Muhammad Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammad Ajmal Variathodi, and Rajesh Ramesh) won the gold medal.
– They completed the 4×400 meters relay race in a time of 3:01.58.
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14. Which country won the silver medal in the women’s 4×400 meter relay race in the 19th Asian Games?
a. China
b. Japan
c. Nepal
d. India
Answer: d. India
– On October 4, 2023, the Indian team (comprising of Vithya Ramraj, Aishwarya Mishra, Prachi, and Subha Venkatesan) won the silver medal.
– They completed the 4×400 meters relay race in a time of 3:27.85.
– In the women’s 4×400 meters relay race, Bahrain secured the top position.
What is the 4×400 meters relay race?
– Relay race is an event in which a team of four runners determines the same distance with a baton.
– In this event, a runner passes the baton to the next runner after completing one lap, and then that runner completes the next lap.
– Similarly, all four runners pass the baton to each other.
Note: The baton is like a rod or object used to pass between runners in a relay race.
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15. Which scientist of Indian origin received the Spinoza Award for her work in the field of climate change?
a. Joyeeta Gupta
b. Mahesh Aggarwal
c. Amit Tyagi
d. Neena Gupta
Answer: a. Joyeeta Gupta
– The Spinoza Prize ceremony took place in October 2023 at the Diligentia Theater in The Hague.
– The Spinoza Prize is an annual award with a prize amount of 1.5 million euros (approximately 13.21 crores).
– It is the highest scientific award in the Netherlands.
The award is named after the philosopher Baruch Spinoza and is sometimes referred to as the Dutch Nobel Prize.
– The prize is awarded to two researchers working in the Netherlands who excel in their respective fields.
– The Spinoza Prize recipients honored by this award are Joyita Gupta and Toby Keers.
Joyita Gupta:
– She is a Dutch environmental scientist.
– Joyita Gupta is a professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam.
– On a global scale, she is working on applying her ideas presented in her inaugural lecture in 2014 on “Eco-space” (environmental use of space) to utilize the prize money.
