Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a fierce conflict since October 7, when militants from the Palestinian group in Gaza launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 253 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel launched a military operation in Gaza, leading to the deaths of over 41,500 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza health authorities. The entire population of 2.3 million in the Gaza Strip has been displaced, and much of the territory has been devastated.
This recent escalation marks the most violent episode in the long-standing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, which has persisted for seven decades and destabilized the Middle East. Simultaneously, there has been a significant increase in hostilities along Israel's border with Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah has declared its support for the Palestinians.
The roots of the conflict lie in Israel's quest for a secure homeland in a region it perceives as hostile, and the Palestinians' unfulfilled aspirations for their own state. In 1947, under British mandate, the United Nations proposed a partition plan for Palestine, dividing it into Arab and Jewish states, with international control over Jerusalem. While Jewish leaders accepted the plan, which granted them 56% of the land, the Arab League rejected it.
David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, providing a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution. However, this led to immediate conflict, as troops from five Arab states attacked Israel the following day. The ensuing war resulted in the displacement of around 700,000 Palestinians, who fled to neighboring countries and areas like Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. This event is mourned by Palestinians as the 'Nakba' or catastrophe, though Israel disputes the claim that it forcibly expelled Palestinians.
Despite armistice agreements in 1949, formal peace was never achieved. Today, descendants of Palestinians who remained in Israel make up about 20% of the population. The conflict has seen numerous wars, including the Six-Day War in 1967, where Israel captured territories from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, where Israel repelled attacks from Egypt and Syria.
Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982 led to the evacuation of PLO guerrillas, and in 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza. Hamas's rise to power in Gaza, through elections in 2006 and a subsequent takeover in 2007, has been marked by repeated clashes with Israel. Additionally, there have been two Palestinian intifadas, the second of which saw significant violence from both sides.
Peace efforts have seen some successes, such as the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, and the Oslo Accords in 1993, which established limited Palestinian autonomy. However, many attempts have failed, including the Camp David Summit in 2000 and more recent efforts under the Trump administration.
The current conflict in Gaza highlights the ongoing issues of a two-state solution, Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, and the fate of Palestinian refugees. While some progress has been made, such as the Abraham Accords in 2020, significant challenges remain, including the recent war in Gaza and the complex negotiations for a lasting peace.
