The current events surrounding Israel and Palestine have been a hot topic for news companies. The history goes back hundreds and hundreds of years, which makes the issue even more complex.
Israel and Hamas have been fighting for many reasons, possibly some that are even unknown, but the main arguments are over religion and land ownership.
As a result of these conflicts and more, the current war began when Hamas, an Islamic Resistance Movement military group in Palestine attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1400 Israelis.
In retaliation, Israel sent airstrikes into Gaza causing damage and death.
Jason Angle, a history teacher stated, “The most recent events since the brutal attacks by Hamas killing 1400 Israelis include the continuous airstrikes of thousands of missiles into Gaza. Israel is planning a ground invasion. There are threats from Iran and Hezbollah on Israel as well. If this invasion occurs, many innocent people could be killed.”
Israel has since started its ground invasion. According to NBC News, “More than 1.6 million people have been displaced in Gaza and health officials there say the death toll has surpassed 13,000.”
Gazan health officials reported that 5,000 Palestinian children have been killed since the Israeli assault began, and possibly hundreds more – a statistic that international officials say are generally reliable.
Angle continued, “Humanitarian conditions are terrible in Gaza as well, with little or no food, water, shelter, medicine, etc.”
The living conditions within the Gaza Strip are worsening since the Israeli Bombardment. Water has been polluted, and more diseases are being spread because of this. Hospitals in Gaza are full and near failure, with people still trying to be treated.
Alaa Elassar, with CNN stated, “Al-Shifa [a hospital located in Gaza] is running dangerously low on clean water, medicine, supplies and fuel. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians, injured or displaced by Israel’s war against Hamas, continue to pack its wards, seeking shelter from the seemingly endless barrage of airstrikes.”
It’s unclear on who’s really to blame here, whether it be Hamas not being a stable enough government or Israel constantly taking away resources from Palestine. Certain governments around the world are supporting Israel, which is causing a lot of conflict within those countries.
According to Fatima Hussein, with Time, “ Protesters, particularly in countries with large Muslim populations, including the U.S., U.K. and France, expressed disillusionment with their governments for supporting Israel while its bombardments of hospitals and residential areas in the Gaza strip intensify.”
Protests have grown recently, demanding a ceasefire.
According to Kelly Garrity, with Politico, “Israel began its ground invasion into Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack.” She goes on to explain the killings and kidnappings that took place during this invasion.
Recently, there was a four- hour pause in the fighting so people still stuck in Gaza could have a chance to fully evacuate without as much risk. This happened because of internatoinal pressure, including from President Joe Biden, for the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to issue a pause.
Even when the Gaza Strip is being told to evacuate by Israel’s Military, though, there really isn’t anywhere to go. The Gaza Strip is located along the ocean, which means access to any evacuation is slim, except for a narrow channel through Egypt.
Most recently, 31 of 39 premature babies in critical condition were evacuated to Egypt. Eight died.
The U.S. is working with other countries to enact humanitarian pauses to get much needed resources into the area with hopes of a hostage release as well as a permanent end to the conflict.
Even though this crisis is happening in other countries, it could have an impact on the United States. Harry Olenick, a history teacher stated, “There is potential that we could become militarily involved, but it is more likely that we will experience economic fallout. We could see fluctuations in our economy based on aid/relief packages sent to these nations. We should also expect to see changes in gas prices based on the availability of oil from the Middle East.”
Not only this can affect the U.S and other nations, but anybody with relatives or friends in either Palestine or Israel can be scared, heartbroken, or confused. Some people here have someone they know dealing with the mix of emotions.
Olenick stated, “One of my college friends was on a pilgrimage to Israel when the war broke out. She was safe but closely monitoring the advice of Israel. She has since returned safely home to the U.S.”
The conflict has instigated many debates and arguments both online and in person, with many people taking sides.
When reading news stories on this conflict, it’s hard to get factual information that isn’t biased. Some media companies side with one side or the other, and sometimes we don’t realize it, which is why we should be careful when learning about these things, especially since the events are changing by the day. Staying aware of claims that sound more opinionated is something to watch out for, especially on social media.
