The Israel-Hamas War
A Brief History of the Conflict
The blockade of the Gaza Strip was initially imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2005, following the Israeli disengagement that removed all 21 Israeli settlements from Gaza with the stated aim of “unilateral separation” with the Palestinians. Human rights groups alleged that from the imposition of the first blockade onwards, Israel has continually used them as a means to put pressure on Gaza’s population following political developments or extremist attacks, and the country has been accused of . In 2006, after Hamas decisively won Gaza’s election, the blockade became permanent.
In its 1988 Covenant, Hamas defines its mission as the destruction of a Jewish Israel, backing its ideological basis in the coming three decades with sporadic suicide bombings, missile attacks, and other acts largely recognized as terrorist. In 2017, in what is viewed as an effort to reform its international image, Hamas released an amended statement accepting an interim Palestinian state along the Green Line, which would have Israel withdraw from some territories settled in 1967.
After decades of fighting, a number of developments within the past year have set the stage for what is now seen as a highly strategic attack. In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu was reelected and appointed two controversial members to his war cabinet—both of whom advocated for greater aggression in occupying the West Bank. The blockade on Gaza, which has been effectively functioning for 16 years, continued to put strain on Palestinian citizens aligned with Hamas. Finally, a series of violent scuffles between Palestinians and Israelis have displaced hundreds of Palestinian villagers, and police raids, such as that of the al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in Jerusalem, became a turning point for Hamas.
The 2023 Israel-Hamas War
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale invasion of Israel named Operation al-Aqsa Flood. A rocket barrage of over 3,000 missiles, an encroachment on border crossings, and the kidnapping of a number of Israeli hostages proceeded that morning. During one of its deadliest attacks, Hamas massacred over 250 attendees of an Israeli music festival. In response, Israel sent airstrikes, confirmed to have targeted mosques and at least 13 health facilities in Gaza. The Israeli Defense Minister announced a complete siege of Gaza—”no electricity, no food, no fuel.”
As of October 10th, more than 1,000 people have been killed in Israel and more than 900 people in Gaza are dead. The area of airstrikes, missile attacks, and combat is ever-growing, and both sides have been condemned by the UN’s High Commissioner for violating international human rights law. After just four days, this is the most devastating conflict ever witnessed in the 75 years of fighting between Israel and Palestinian actors—and there is no indication that it will stop anytime soon. The ramifications for the Middle East, which has faced a constant barrage of disasters and conflicts in recent months, as well as the world, have yet to be realized.
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