The world watched in shock as the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched fresh, new attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, renewing a conflict that has been simmering for decades.
The surprise element of the attacks emanated from Hamas’ entry into Israeli territory despite heavily guarded points in the Gaza Strip between Palestine and Israel, the site of great contention between the two land areas.
Since Hamas’ infiltration, authorities say at least 1,400 Israelis have been killed with intelligence reports that around 199 civilians and military personnel are being held hostage in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have left over 2,700 Palestinians killed.
In response to the attack, Israel initially issued a complete blockade of food, medicine and all essentials such as fuel.
The beginnings of a terrible conflict
Palestine has historically been home to Jews, Arabs and minority groups after Britain took control of the area after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was a statement issued by the British Government during World War I where it supported the establishment of a national homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine, a mandate that was carried out from 1923-1948.
There was mass immigration of the Jews facilitated by the British, which saw the former escaping Nazism in Europe. Palestinians were not happy about the fact that the British were handing over their lands to the Jews. This led to the Arab revolt between 1936 and 1939. Within those three years, 5,000 Palestinians were killed and 15-20,000 Palestinians were wounded. This was just the beginning.
In 1947 the United Nations voted to partition land in the mandate set by the British of Palestine into two states- one Jewish, one Arab. This meant that the neighbouring Arabs and the Palestinians did not assent to the creation of modern Israel. When the partitioning was proposed, Palestinians opposed it because it allocated about 55% of Palestinian land to the Jewish state. The Zionist paramilitary forces began destroying Palestinian towns and villages for the expansion of the Zionist state even before the expiration of the British mandate in 1948.
Following several wars between Israeli and Arab factions, in 1950 Egypt took over the Gaza Strip and Jordan established administrative rule over the West Bank. In 1967 Israel occupied the rest of Palestine along with the Gaza Strip and the West Bank among other areas in what is known as the Six-Day War against an alliance of Arab armies. In all this, thousands of Palestinians were displaced as Israel continued to grow its territory.
Along the way, Hamas- a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood that took part in armed resistance against Israeli occupation- was formed. The Oslo Accords in 1993 saw the formation of the Palestinian Authority, an interim government that was allowed to engage in limited self-rule in certain parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Consequently, the Palestinian Liberation Organization or the PLO signed agreements that gave Israel control of 60% of the West Bank and a significant proportion of the land and water resources belonging to the area.
It was in 1995 that Israel constructed an electric fence and concrete wall around the Gaza Strip. Since then, more fighting has taken place which has seen many casualties on both sides.
The ground situation today
The heart-rending events taking place on the ground in Israel and Palestine have left most of the world in utter sadness. In the last few days, hundreds of children have been killed in air strikes, and on Tuesday the strike on a hospital in Gaza left hundreds more dead. Unofficial numbers say as many as 500 were killed in the explosion. This was a strike that Hamas was quick to blame Israel for, but Israel in return blamed a Palestinian Islamist Jihad rocket for the explosion.
The scenes immediately after the blast were horrific, with body parts of women and children scattered around the hospital, the injured crying out and doctors and aid workers rushing to help whoever they could.
In the lead-up to this tragedy, fuel supplies were already running low in Gaza and food and medical supplies from Egypt had been blocked. However, now Israel has agreed to allow the necessary supplies into Gaza from Egypt, as long as it is for the civilian population.
In the midst of this crisis, 150-200 Israeli hostages taken by Hamas from southern Israel on 14 October have been the focus of concern as they included women, children and the elderly who may not survive once Israel carries out a ground invasion of Gaza.
Many hostages who were taken were celebrating the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which concludes the annual reading of the Torah. Some were travelling to visit family and friends, while others were just enjoying time with their families when Hamas attacked. Families of hostages are desperate for news about their loved ones, but little has been gleaned about what has happened to them. Hamas has said that the hostages will only be released when the conditions are favourable. It is feared that a number of hostages have been killed in the Israeli air strikes.
13 U.S. citizens are unaccounted for in the ongoing battles while 31 U.S. citizens have been killed. It is believed that around 600 U.S. citizens are among the thousands trapped in Gaza.
President Joe Biden on an official visit to Tel Aviv on Wednesday on the back of these happenings voiced U.S. support for Israel. He has condemned the Gaza hospital attack, calling it the work of Palestinian militant forces.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also embarked on a visit to Israel on Thursday to demonstrate support for the Israeli government and to urge for the allowing of food and relief into Gaza. This was the main point of discussion when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with a call to de-escalate the conflict.
The dim future
The world is watching, mourning and waiting as the Israeli-Palestine conflict claims innocent lives. It has only been just over a week, but it seems like months and each day brings news of more deaths, more injuries and more displacements.
In the backdrop of the Gaza hospital bombing, U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Israelis to refrain from being consumed by rage. But what about the profound sadness and desperation that has engulfed these people? The loss of life and damage can be quantified in numbers. Yet how does one quantify the value of each child, woman and man lost in this sea of destruction? Their legacies are gone and those who are left will have to pick up the bitter pieces.
May the destruction end and peace be upon us soon.
(Anouk De Silva)