The conflict between Israel and Hamas, initiated on Saturday, is the latest warfare between the Israelis and Palestinians.
What happened?
In the early morning of Oct. 7, Hamas began firing thousands of rockets at the outskirts of Jerusalem. There were no direct hits recorded, due to Israel’s intricate anti-missile security system, according to the “New York Times.”
Roughly an hour after the initial missile attacks, Hamas fighters from Gaza began invading Israel through the land, air, and sea. They rampaged through Israeli towns in a surprise attack, claiming the lives of over 1,200 people.
The Hamas assailants took the lives of men, women, and children: all at their homes, or at festivals that were taking place during the attack. Among the carnage of Israeli people, dozens of foreigners were caught in the crossfire, including Americans. White House officials stated that 27 Americans were killed in the attacks, and 14 have been unaccounted for.
In a meeting via Zoom on Oct. 13, President Joe Biden met with the 14 families of the missing Americans, telling CBS that his administration will do everything in its power to find them, according to CNN News.
Israel’s response
The Gaza Strip is a small piece of land located on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Israel to the East and North. The continuous conflicts Gaza faces have deteriorated its economic, social, and political conditions. As a result, many of Gaza’s residents suffer from psychological decline, poverty, and unemployment, according to United Nations News.
In response to the attacks enacted by Hamas, Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has vowed to cut the electricity, water, and fuel from the people inhabiting Gaza. The blockade will inhibit communication between Gaza and its trading partners, preventing the import of goods, according to the “New York Times.”
Furthermore, Israel’s military has rallied after the initial commotion to nullify an attack perpetrated by Hamas. They’ve sent reinforcements towards the enclave, while simultaneously retaliating with airstrikes on Gazan roads, buildings, and other sites, according to Reuters.
The warfare between Israel and Palestine is still in its early stages. The United States has vowed to provide military aid to Israel, and the first shipments of firearms were sent to Israel on Oct. 10, according to the Middle Eastern independent news channel “Al Jazeera.”
Origins of the conflict
The Nakba was a mass displacement of Palestinians that took place during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. The Nakba was initiated by Jewish militias, who launched attacks against Palestinian villages, causing thousands of them to flee. It was a vicious ethnic cleansing operation, aimed to eradicate Palestinians. The situation quickly escalated into a war in 1948, and it ended with Israel being officially proclaimed as a state on May 14, 1948. Before this declaration, the whole region was known as ‘Palestine’ under the British Mandate.
A day after its creation, Israel was attacked by five Arab states, and it used that fact to justify its attack against Palestine. Armistice pacts halted the warfare in 1949, but there have been no formal peace treaties enacted, according to Reuters.
