Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza's main hospital, Shifa Hospital, after a two-week raid, leaving behind significant destruction. Palestinian residents found bodies both inside and outside the facility upon their return. The military operation, described as one of the most successful in the six-month war, resulted in the killing of scores of Hamas and other militants, along with the seizure of valuable intelligence. The raid raised concerns about endangering civilians and further straining an already overwhelmed health sector in Gaza.
Israeli troops have pulled out of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City after a raid two weeks ago, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suspected Hamas was using it as a base. Witnesses reported heavy fighting and tanks surrounding the facility during the raid. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed 21 patient deaths in the hospital, expressing concern over the deteriorating conditions and lack of supplies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the soldiers' efforts, describing the hospital as a "terrorist lair." Tensions rise between the U.S. and Israel over Netanyahu's plans, while the region faces escalating conflicts.
Israeli forces have encircled Al-Amal Hospital and Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, intensifying the conflict in the region. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have raided Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza's largest, apprehending terrorists and locating weapons. The death toll among IDF soldiers is 252 since the ground operation began. Gaza has seen over 32,000 deaths and nearly 75,000 injuries since October 7. Israeli military operations in northern Gaza have escalated recently as Hamas strengthened its presence. The IDF launched a new operation at Al-Shifa, citing senior Hamas terrorists' presence at the facility.
Staff at Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital have buried dozens of patients in a mass grave as the hospital remains surrounded by Israeli forces. Hospital Director Mohammad Abu Salmiya revealed that 179 bodies have been interred in the courtyard so far, including seven babies and 29 intensive care patients. The hospital has been without electricity at the morgues since the fuel for the generator ran out on Saturday. Israeli forces claim that the hospital sits atop a complex of tunnels and a command centre used by Hamas fighters, but Hamas denies this and states that 650 patients and thousands of displaced civilians are trapped inside and under constant fire.
Al-Shifa Hospital (Arabic: مستشفى الشفاء Mustašfā š-Šifāʾ [musˈtaʃ.fa‿ʃ.ʃiˈfaːʔ]) is the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza Strip, located in the neighborhood of northern Rimal in Gaza City. Originally a British Army barracks, the site was transformed into a healthcare facility, the Dar al-Shifa or "house of healing", by the government of Mandatory Palestine in 1946. The hospital was expanded during the Egyptian and later Israeli occupations during the 1980s. In the 21st-century, the hospital has been prominent during the Gaza–Israel conflict. During the Gaza War (2008–2009), much of the media coverage came from correspondents reporting from the hospital. During the 2014 Gaza war, Amnesty International reported that Hamas was using abandoned areas of the hospital grounds for detaining and torturing alleged Palestinian collaborators. Norwegian doctors Erik Fosse and Mads Gilbert, who were working at the hospital, stated that they did not see any evidence of military activity at the hospital during the war.The hospital was raided on 15 November 2023 by Israeli forces, which reported finding some light munitions in the hospital. The raid was widely criticized by governments, United Nations agencies and aid organisations, with the head of the World Health Organization calling it "totally unacceptable". Israel has been accused by several news outlets of waging a propaganda war regarding al-Shifa, and medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies. Later a shaft was found on the perimeter of the hospital, and various experts confirmed that it was similar to other militant tunnels. Multiple sources state that bunkers were built in the 1980s by Israel during the construction of the hospital while some sources report that the construction also included tunnels. A France24 investigation concluded that the images and videos of the tunnels published by the IDF were consistent with Hamas built tunnels.During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israel and the United States said that a vast complex existed under the hospital that was being used by Hamas as its "main operations base", which Hamas and hospital administrators denied. According to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Haaretz Hamas used the hospital for military purposes. At the same time, multiple news agencies said that the evidence did not demonstrate the existence of a Hamas command center. Amnesty International said on 23 November 2023 that "Amnesty International has so far not seen any credible evidence to support Israel’s claim that al-Shifa is housing a military command centre" and that "theIsraeli military has so far failed to provide credible evidence" for the allegation. The Washington Post concluded that the evidence presented by Israel falls short of corroborating its claims, finding, for example, that there was no evidence the tunnels could be accessed from the hospital or vice-versa. On January 2, 2024, U.S. intelligence doubled down on its claim that Hamas used the Al-Shifa Hospital as a command center and to hold Israeli hostages, but did not provide any evidence thereof.
Israeli forces detained Palestinian journalists and health workers, blindfolded them and stripped them down to their underwear in Al-Shifa Hospital , in northern Gaza, according to eyewitness accounts shared with CNN . Palestinian reporters and hospital staff described scenes of humiliating interrogations where colleagues had been undressed and left outside in the cold, after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) laid siege to the largest hospital in the enclave in the early hours of Monday. One man who was detained told CNN Israeli forces released him without his ID or mobile phone. The Israeli military raided Al-Shifa after it claimed senior Hamas terrorists were using the facility to conduct and promote terrorist activity. It claims to have detained a senior Hamas operative during the operation.
Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, was placed under siege by Israel in mid-November 2023 during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, after claiming it had contained a Hamas command and control center beneath it. On 11 November, the hospital was completely encircled, cutting it off from the rest of Gaza City, which contained 1,500 patients, along with 1,500 medical workers and some 15,000 displaced people seeking shelter in the hospital according to Gazan health officials. Israel and the United States alleged that below the hospital Hamas maintained command centers. Both the hospital's administration and Hamas denied that, the former asked the international community to send security experts to verify the Israeli allegations.On 15 November, Israeli forces entered the hospital, with the Israeli military claiming it had discovered a Hamas command centre. BBC News and CNN reported that the Israeli army had rearranged, or even added, weapons for the media tour; and that an Israeli video showing the alleged discoveries had been edited. NBC News said that Israel released several pieces of inaccurate or disputed information, which weakened Israel's credibility. According to Al Jazeera, Israel was accused of fabricating evidence. On 22 November, Israel published video showing multiple tunnels beneath the hospital; the Wall Street Journal and the Guardian reported that this fell short of the original command center claims. Israel published surveillance footage taken by the hospital's cameras, appearing to show two hostages being taken into the hospital. The Guardian reported that Hamas had previously publicized taking hostages to receive medical treatment. On 21 December, the Washington Post published analysis concluding that the hospital buildings in question were not actually connected to the tunnels. On 2 January 2024, the United States released newly declassified documents showing that its spy agencies continued to believe that the hospital had been used as a command and control centre, and the following day Israel announced that it had dismantled a tunnel beneath the hospital. However, news reports the next day said that that both Israeli and US statements are not considered as conclusive proof of Hamas use of al-Shifa.The raid on the hospital and Israel's limited findings of military infrastructure led to international criticism, including by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk who called for an independent investigation. International law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless used for a military purpose that is "harmful to the enemy", as well as the use of human shields for combatants; both constitute war crimes. Israel has been accused of waging a propaganda war to detract from accusations that its actions at al-Shifa constitute violations of international law, and medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies. The head of the World Health Organization said, "hospitals are not battlegrounds," and that Israel's action was "totally unacceptable." On 18 March 2024, Israeli forces conducted an overnight raid on Al-Shifa hospital following intel that senior Hamas officials had regrouped and were using the hospital "to command attacks".
Gazas largest hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital, is facing a dire situation with thousands of people trapped inside due to nearby fighting, power cuts, and a lack of fuel. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the hospital is becoming like a cemetery, with bodies piling up and rotting. The area around the hospital has seen intense fighting, with reports of tanks and armoured vehicles close to the hospital gate. Israel accuses Hamas of operating a command-and-control centre underneath the hospital, while Hamas and the hospital deny these claims. The situation at the hospital is dire, with dead bodies unable to be taken care of or buried.
Efforts by health workers to evacuate Gazas biggest hospitals have failed, with no one leaving Al-Shifa hospital despite promises from Israeli forces. The lack of fuel in the besieged enclave has also resulted in warnings that all aid operations in Gaza will soon grind to a halt. Doctors and the director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees have called for help in facilitating evacuations, but the International Committee of the Red Cross has stated that the current conditions make it difficult and risky to evacuate hospitals.
Gaza's health system is in crisis due to the Israeli-Hamas war, with thousands of Palestinians dead or injured. Hospitals are overwhelmed with emergency patients and facing the effects of bombardment and utility cuts. The Israeli military's evacuation order for the north of Gaza has created an impossible situation for hospitals filled with sick and injured patients. The health system is collapsing, with shortages of medical supplies, weak water pressure, and a lack of ventilators and space. Healthcare staff are exhausted and struggling to cope. With electricity blocked, hospitals are relying on backup generators.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have offered fuel and mobile incubators to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza to mitigate the crisis caused by power shortages and lack of resources. The IDF released footage of soldiers depositing fuel at the hospital's entrance and pledged to coordinate the delivery of incubators. However, doctors at Al-Shifa and the Palestinian Ministry of Health have highlighted inadequacies in Israel's offers, stating that there is no way to ensure the safe evacuation of babies amid the ongoing fighting. The Red Cross is in touch with both parties but no concrete plans have been made. The delivery of incubators would also be ineffective without a power supply.
During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israel and the United States stated that a vast complex existed under the hospital that was being used by Hamas as its "main operations base", which Hamas and hospital administrators denied. Following Israel's release of video evidence on 22 November, multiple news agencies concluded that the evidence did not demonstrate the use by Hamas of a command center. The New York Times also said the evidence does not show conclusive evidence of a vast network of tunnels, while Haaretz concluded that Hamas did use the hospital for military purposes. Amnesty International said on 23 November 2023 that "Amnesty International has so far not seen any credible evidence to support Israel’s claim that al-Shifa is housing a military command centre" and that "theIsraeli military has so far failed to provide credible evidence" for the allegation. Izzat al-Risheq, a Hamas official, denied that the group used the hospital as a shield for its underground military structures, saying there was no truth to the claims.Israel has been accused of waging a propaganda war to detract from accusations that its actions at al-Shifa constitute violations of international law, and medical staff at al-Shifa have accused Israel of directly causing the deaths of civilians being treated at al-Shifa, including prematurely born babies. The head of the World Health Organization called the Israeli raid on the hospital "totally unacceptable".Following the end of the Al-Shifa Hospital siege, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for an independent investigation, stating "This is precisely where you need an independent international investigation, because we have different narratives, you cannot use ... hospitals, for any military purposes. But you also cannot attack a hospital in the absence of clear evidence." International law prohibits the targeting of hospitals unless used for a military purpose that is "harmful to the enemy", as well as the use of human shields for combatants; both constitute war crimes.
Israeli forces have reported the killing of more than 170 Hamas terrorists in raids targeting fighters in and around Gaza's main hospital. Over 800 suspects were taken into custody during the operation, which also uncovered weapons and terrorist infrastructure. Additionally, Israeli fighter jets conducted strikes on 35 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei predicted that the US will withdraw support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas. UN Secretary-General Guterres visited Rafah crossing, calling for an immediate ceasefire amidst blocked relief efforts to Gaza.
Israeli forces bombed a tent camp inside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital compound in central Gaza, killing two Palestinians in what seemed to be a targeted strike. Palestinians were seen carrying wounded individuals after the attack, with an aircraft later airdropping humanitarian aid over northern Gaza. In response, protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and calls for the release of hostages held by Hamas occurred in Tel Aviv, Israel.
A visiting emergency medical team from aid groups reported untreated open wounds, shortage of medical supplies to pin fractures, and lack of food jeopardising treatment in Gaza's hospitals. Israeli restrictions have led to shortages of basic medical supplies, including gauze and materials for stabilising broken bones, causing a crisis situation. The visiting surgeons described harrowing scenes at the European hospital near Khan Younis, where healthcare workers are struggling to provide adequate care amidst heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
At least 19 Palestinians were killed in Gaza by an Israeli attack targeting civilians waiting for aid near Kuwait Roundabout. The Israeli army denied firing on the crowd, but the Hamas-run government in Gaza reported 19 dead and 23 injured. Gaza's healthcare system is struggling, with reports of serious injuries and catastrophic hunger among half of the population. The UN has warned of a looming famine, while aid distribution has become increasingly perilous. Similar incidents of Palestinian casualties during aid distribution have occurred in recent months, leading to international criticism and calls for intervention.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed Israel's significant progress in breaking battalions and killing thousands of Hamas fighters, including Hamas third-in-command Marwan Issa. Israeli forces raided Shifa Hospital in Gaza, killing Hamas top official Faiq Mabhouh, leading to tensions between the US and Israel over the Hamas conflict. President Biden questioned Netanyahu on a coherent strategy, warning against endangering Palestinian civilians. France and Qatar mediated medicine shipments to Gaza amidst the high death toll. Israel aims to eliminate Hamas and ensure Gaza poses no threat.
On the evening of 27 October 2023, Israel launched a large-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip, with the stated goals of eliminating and destroying Hamas, a military and political movement which led an attack against Israel earlier in October, and to free hostages taken by Hamas. Following the attack, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its blockade, ordered the evacuation of the northern Gaza Strip, and launched "Operation Swords of Iron".More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli operation, including over 12,500 children and 7,000 women, with another 7,000 people missing and presumed dead under the rubble of destroyed buildings. By mid-December Israel had dropped 29,000 munitions on Gaza, destroying or damaging 70 percent of homes in the Strip. Experts say that the scale and pace of destruction in Gaza is among the most severe in recent history. During the invasion, Israel destroyed at least a third of Gaza's homes and hundreds of cultural landmarks, and desecrated dozens of cemeteries in the strip.A severe humanitarian crisis has developed, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and the UN warning of potential famine. It was widely reported that there is "no safe place in Gaza" as Israel struck areas it had previously told Palestinians to evacuate to. The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been internally displaced and around 250,000–500,000 Israelis were internally displaced, while thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israel, and Israel has stated it lost 225 additional soldiers in its invasion as of 4 February 2024.As a result of the invasion, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), charging that Israel was guilty of committing a genocide, and requesting that the ICJ render provisional measures of protection.
The Gaza War, also known as Operation Cast Lead (Hebrew: מִבְצָע עוֹפֶרֶת יְצוּקָה), also known as the Gaza Massacre (Arabic: مجزرة غزة), and referred to as the Battle of al-Furqan (معركة الفرقان) by Hamas, was a three-week armed conflict between Gaza Strip Palestinian paramilitary groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that began on 27 December 2008 and ended on 18 January 2009 with a unilateral ceasefire. The conflict resulted in 1,166–1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths. Over 46,000 homes were destroyed in Gaza, making more than 100,000 people homeless.A six month long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended on 4 November, when the IDF made a raid into Deir al-Balah, central Gaza to destroy a tunnel, killing several Hamas militants. Israel said the raid was a preemptive strike and Hamas intended to abduct further Israeli soldiers, while Hamas characterized it as a ceasefire violation, and responded with rocket fire into Israel. Attempts to renew a truce between Israel and Hamas were unsuccessful. On December 27, Israel began Operation Cast Lead with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire. In the initial air assault, Israel attacked police stations, military targets including weapons caches and suspected rocket firing teams, as well as political and administrative institutions, striking in the densely populated cities of Gaza, Khan Yunis and Rafah. After hostilities broke out, Palestinian groups fired rockets in retaliation for the aerial bombardments and attacks. The international community considers indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian structures that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets as illegal under international law.An Israeli ground invasion began on 3 January. On 5 January, the IDF began operating in the densely populated urban centers of Gaza. During the last week of the offensive (from 12 January), Israel mostly hit targets it had damaged before and struck Palestinian rocket-launching units. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against mostly civilian targets in southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time during the conflict. Israeli politicians ultimately decided against striking deeper within Gaza amid concerns of higher casualties on both sides and rising international criticism. The conflict ended on 18 January, when the IDF first declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. The IDF completed its withdrawal on 21 January.In September 2009, a UN special mission, headed by the South African Justice Richard Goldstone, produced a report accusing both Palestinian militants and the Israeli army of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice. In 2011, Goldstone wrote that he does not believe that Israel intentionally targeted civilians in Gaza as a matter of explicit policy. The other authors of the report, Hina Jilani, Christine Chinkin, and Desmond Travers, stated that no new evidence had been gathered that disputed the report's findings. The United Nations Human Rights Council ordered Israel to conduct various repairs of the damages. On 21 September 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded that 75% of civilian homes destroyed in the attack were not rebuilt.
Tens of thousands protested in Israel urging a ceasefire deal to free hostages held by Hamas and calling for an early election. Benjamin Netanyahu underwent successful hernia surgery as hostage negotiations resumed. Protesters clashed with police in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Reports suggest the US and Israel are discussing proposals to prevent a military ground offensive in Gaza. The war with Hamas has resulted in about 1,160 Israeli deaths and at least 32,782 Palestinian deaths, mainly women and children.
An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. After clearing Hamas militants from its territory, the Israeli military embarked on an extensive aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip followed by a large-scale ground invasion beginning on 27 October. Clashes have also occurred in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and with Hezbollah along the Israel–Lebanon border. The hostilities constitute the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict since 2008 and are part of the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict. They are considered to be the most significant military escalation in the region since the Yom Kippur War 50 years earlier.The Hamas offensive involved 3,000 militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacking Israeli communities and military bases. During this attack, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, while 253 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive to the Gaza Strip. The attack was proclaimed as a response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the prospect of Arab–Israeli normalization, and the plight of Palestinian refugees and prisoners. In response, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its existing blockade of Gaza and launched one of the most severe bombing campaigns in history, before commencing the ground invasion on 27 October. Israeli forces laid siege to Gaza City on 2 November and moved south to attack Khan Yunis a month later on 3 December; both sieges remain ongoing. Israel's next objective is the capture of Rafah. An estimated 6,000-12,000 militants have been killed during the conflict, and Israel has lost over 200 soldiers during its invasion. A United Nations resolution calling for a humanitarian pause passed on 15 November; the seven-day truce took effect at the end of that month.A humanitarian crisis has developed in the Gaza Strip, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and potential famine conditions. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, including over 12,300 children and 8,400 women. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been internally displaced. The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas. In February 2024 576,000 people were "facing catastrophic levels of deprivation and starvation", stated The United Nations. More than 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops that opened fire when huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.The war has had significant international repercussions. Popular protests that primarily call for a ceasefire have occurred across the world. Israel's actions have been denounced by the Islamic world and much of the Global South; South Africa launched an International Court of Justice case alleging that Israel committed genocide. Israel has however received significant support from its traditional Western allies, especially the United States, which vetoed multiple UN Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire. In response, Iran-backed militias have attacked American military bases in the Middle East, while the Yemeni Houthi movement attacked commercial ships they alleged were linked to Israel, incurring a military response from a number of countries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will undergo surgery for a hernia after it was discovered during a routine checkup. Justice Minister Yariv Levin will temporarily fill his role during the procedure. The surgery comes amidst thousands of Israelis rallying for Netanyahu to resign. Additionally, two Palestinians were killed and 15 injured in an Israeli airstrike on a tent camp in central Gaza. The strike targeted a Hamas command center, and Israel argues that hospitals in Gaza are used by militants. The Archbishop of Canterbury called for action to help those affected by the conflict, including the children of Gaza.
Tens of thousands of Israelis marched in Jerusalem demanding increased efforts to free captives in Gaza and the removal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The protests, considered the biggest since the Gaza war in October, led to police using water cannons against the demonstrators. Families of the hundred or more captives held by Hamas in Gaza joined the protests alongside Netanyahu's opponents. The ongoing demonstrations call for the government to bring the captives home, with protesters holding signs criticizing Netanyahu for failing to protect the country from Hamas and demanding elections.
The Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian crisis as a result of the Israel–Hamas war. The crisis includes both a famine and a healthcare collapse. At the start of the war, Israel implemented a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in significant shortages of fuel, food, medication, water, and essential medical supplies. This siege resulted in a 90% drop in electricity availability, impacting hospital power supplies, sewage plants, and shutting down the desalination plants that provide drinking water. Widespread disease outbreaks have spread across Gaza.Heavy bombardment by Israeli airstrikes caused catastrophic damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, further deepening the crisis. By mid-November, Israel had dropped the equivalent of two nuclear bombs on Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 4,000 children killed in the war's first month. UN Secretary General António Guterres stated Gaza had "become a graveyard for children."Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and a joint statement by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the UN Development Programme, United Nations Population Fund, and World Food Programme have warned of a dire humanitarian collapse. On November 8, UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk described the Rafah Crossing as "gates to a living nightmare."
Amid the chaos of war in Gaza, around 180 children are being born every day. The situation in Gaza is described as 'extremely horrible' with a lack of humanity for people and patients. Many pregnant women in Gaza conceived during a time of relative peace but are now giving birth amidst the airstrikes. One mother almost gave birth under the rubble of a destroyed home, with her daughter being born with a broken leg from an airstrike. The situation for mothers and newborns at Al-Shifa hospital is even worse than at Nasser Hospital.
Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians and wounded a third on Gaza's beach after a video surfaced showing the men being fired at despite allegedly waving white flags. The military claimed the men ignored warning shots, and the footage, broadcast by Al Jazeera, highlighted several incidents of Palestinians being killed seemingly posing little threat. The shootings were said to have occurred in central Gaza across different locations, and the army used a bulldozer out of fear of explosives. Palestinian and human rights groups criticize Israeli military for civilian casualties and claim investigations into such incidents rarely lead to indictments.
The Gaza–Israel conflict is a localized part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict beginning in 1948, when 200,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes, settling in the Gaza Strip as refugees. Since then, Israel has fought 15 wars against the Gaza Strip. The number of Gazans killed in the most recent 2023 war — 27,000 — is higher than the death toll of all other wars of the Arab-Israeli conflict.Israel fought four wars against the Egyptian-administered Gaza Strip: 1948 Palestine War, border attacks of 1949–1956, first occupation of Gaza during the Suez Crisis and the capture of Gaza in 1967. During the first occupation, 1% of Gaza Strip's population was either killed, tortured or imprisoned by Israel. Following two periods of low-level insurgencies, a major conflict between Israelis and Palestinians erupted in the First Intifada (523 Gazans killed). The 1993 Oslo Accords brought a period of calm. But, in 2000 the Second Intifada erupted. Towards the end of the Second Intifada, Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005, Hamas won the 2006 election and seized control of Gaza in 2007.In 2007, Israel imposed a land, air and sea blockade of the Gaza Strip, turning it into an "open-air prison". The blockade was widely condemned as a form of collective punishment, while Israel defended it as necessary to stop Palestinian rocket attacks. Hamas considered it a declaration of war. A 2008–2009 Israeli invasion of Gaza resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and widespread destruction of homes, schools and hospitals. A 2012 Israeli operation also killed more than 100 people.In 2014, Israel invaded Gaza in a major war that resulted in the deaths of 73 Israelis (mostly soldiers) and 2,251 Palestinians (mostly civilians). The invasion resulted in "unprecedented" destruction, damaging 25% of homes in Gaza city and 70% of homes in Beit Hanoun. After 2014, notable events in the conflict included the "Great March of Return" (2018-2019) and clashes in November 2018, May 2019 and November 2019. The 2021 crisis saw 256 Palestinians and 15 Israelis killed.On October 7, 2023, Palestinian militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people (mostly civilians). Israel responded with bombing Gaza Strip and launching an invasion that has killed more than 29,000 Gazans as of February 2024.
The 2014 Gaza War, also known as Operation Protective Edge (Hebrew: מִבְצָע צוּק אֵיתָן, romanized: Miv'tza Tzuk Eitan, lit. 'Operation Strong Cliff'), and Battle of the Withered Grain (Arabic: معركة العصف المائكول, romanized: Mʿa-rakkat Al-ʿasf Al-Ma’kool) was a military operation launched by Israel on 8 July 2014 in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory that has been governed by Hamas since 2007. Following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank by Hamas-affiliated Palestinian militants, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated Operation Brother's Keeper, in which some 350 Palestinians, including nearly all of the active Hamas militants in the West Bank, were arrested. Hamas subsequently fired a greater number of rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip, triggering a seven-week-long conflict between the two sides. It was one of the deadliest outbreaks of open conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in decades. The combination of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli airstrikes resulted in over two thousand deaths, the vast majority of which were Gazan Palestinians. This includes a total of six Israeli civilians who were killed as a result of the conflict.The Israeli military operation aimed to stop rocket fire into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Conversely, Hamas' attacks aimed to bring international pressure onto Israel with the strategic goal of forcing the latter to lift the Israeli–Egyptian blockade of the Gaza Strip; among its other goals were to end Israel's military offensive, obtain a third party to monitor and guarantee compliance with a ceasefire, release Palestinian political prisoners and overcome its isolation. According to the BBC, Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in retaliation to the rocket attacks by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and other Palestinian militant groups.On 7 July, after seven Hamas militants died in a tunnel explosion in Khan Yunis that was caused either by an Israeli airstrike (per Hamas, Nathan Thrall, BBC, and a senior IDF official) or an accidental explosion of their own munitions (per the IDF), Hamas assumed responsibility for rockets fired into Israel, and subsequently launched 40 more rockets towards Israel. The Israeli aerial operation officially began the following day, and on 17 July, it was expanded to include a full-scale ground invasion of the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of destroying Gaza's tunnel system; the Israeli ground invasion ended on 5 August. On 26 August, an open-ended ceasefire was announced. By this time, the IDF reported that Hamas, PIJ, and other Palestinian militant groups had fired 4,564 rockets and mortars into Israel, with over 735 projectiles having been intercepted mid-flight and shot down by Israel's Iron Dome. Most Gazan mortar and rocket fire was inaccurate, and consequently hit open land; more than 280 projectiles had landed within the Gaza Strip, and 224 had struck residential areas. Palestinian rocketry also killed 13 Palestinian civilians in Gaza, 11 of them children. The IDF attacked 5,263 targets in the Gaza Strip; at least 34 known tunnels were destroyed and two-thirds of Hamas's 10,000-rocket arsenal was either used up or destroyed.Between 2,125 and 2,310 Gazans were killed during the conflict while between 10,626 and 10,895 were wounded (including 3,374 children, of whom over 1,000 were left permanently disabled). Gazan civilian casualty estimates range between 70 percent by the Gaza Health Ministry, 65 percent by the United Nations' (UN) Protection Cluster by OCHA (based in part on Gaza Health Ministry reports), and 36 percent by Israeli officials. The UN estimated that more than 7,000 homes for 10,000 families were razed, together with an additional 89,000 homes damaged, of which roughly 10,000 were severely affected by the bombing. Rebuilding costs were calculated to run from US$4–6 billion over the course of 20 years. 67 Israeli soldiers, 5 Israeli civilians (including one child) and one Thai civilian were killed while 469 Israeli soldiers and 261 Israeli civilians were injured. On the Israeli side, the economic impact of the operation is estimated to have had an impact of NIS 8.5 billion (approximately US$2.5 billion) and a GDP loss of 0.4 percent.
As of 29 February 2024, over 30,000 people (29,782 Palestinian and 1,410 Israeli) have been killed in the Israel–Hamas war, including 88 journalists (83 Palestinian, 2 Israeli and 3 Lebanese) and over 136 UNRWA aid workers.On 7 October 2023, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 764 civilians, were killed, and 248 persons taken hostage during the initial attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Since then, over 29,782 Palestinians (the majority of whom were women and minors) in the Gaza Strip have been killed according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties in its reports. The IDF estimated 12,000 Hamas combatants were killed as of 19 February 2024. A further 382 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank by Israel military and settlers. Casualties have also occurred in other parts of Israel, as well as in southern Lebanon, and Syria.
The International Court of Justice has unanimously ordered Israel to ensure basic food supplies reach Palestinians in Gaza without delay, as famine is setting in with at least 31 deaths, including 27 children. Israel must open more land crossings for aid, following South Africa's accusations of genocide in Gaza. The ICJ's rulings command Israel to cooperate with the UN for unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance. Israel's previous actions in Gaza, including a war against Hamas fighters, have led to significant casualties and displacement, with over 32,500 deaths and 80% of Gaza's population displaced.
The Gaza Strip ( ; Arabic: قِطَاعُ غَزَّةَ Qiṭāʿ Ġazzah [qɪˈtˤɑːʕ ˈɣaz.za]), or simply Gaza, is a polity and the smaller of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the West Bank). On the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Gaza is bordered by Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north.The territory came into being when it was controlled by Egypt during the 1948 Arab–Israeli war, and became a refuge for Palestinians who fled or were expelled during the 1948 Palestine war. Later, during the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured and occupied the Gaza Strip, initiating its decades-long military occupation of the Palestinian territories. The mid-1990s Oslo Accords established the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a limited governing authority, initially led by the secular party Fatah until that party's electoral defeat in 2006 to the Sunni Islamic Hamas. Hamas would then take over the governance of Gaza in a battle the next year, subsequently warring with Israel.In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its military forces from Gaza, dismantled its settlements, and implemented a temporary blockade of Gaza. The blockade became indefinite after the 2007 Hamas takeover, supported by Egypt through restrictions on its land border with Gaza. Despite the Israeli disengagement, the United Nations (UN), the International Committee of the Red Cross, and many human-rights organizations continue to consider Gaza to be held under Israeli military occupation, due to what they consider Israel's effective military control over the territory; Israel disputes that it occupies the territory. The land, sea, and air blockade prevents people and goods from freely entering or leaving the territory, leading to Gaza often being called an "open-air prison." The UN, as well as at least 19 human-rights organizations, have urged Israel to lift the blockade. Israel has justified its blockade on the strip with wanting to stop flow of arms, but Palestinians and rights groups say it amounts to collective punishment and exacerbates dire living conditions.The Gaza Strip is 41 kilometres (25 miles) long, from 6 to 12 km (3.7 to 7.5 mi) wide, and has a total area of 365 km2 (141 sq mi). With around 2 million Palestinians on approximately 365 km2 (141 sq mi) of land, Gaza has one of the world's highest population densities. More than 70% of Gaza's population are refugees or descendents of refugees, half of whom are under the age of 18. Sunni Muslims make up most of Gaza's population, with a Palestinian Christian minority. Gaza has an annual population growth rate of 1.99% (2023 est.), the 39th-highest in the world. Gaza's unemployment rate is among the highest in the world, with an overall unemployment rate of 46% and a youth unemployment rate of 70%. The population has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Gaza has throughout the years been seen as a source of Palestinian nationalism and resistance.
After a Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and led to an Israeli invasion resulting in over 30,000 deaths in Gaza, residents of Israeli communities near the border are struggling with the decision of whether, how, and when to return. Many of these kibbutzim were established near former Palestinian villages, and residents had maintained economic ties with Gaza's population, mainly refugees or their descendants.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel's military is preparing to launch an attack on Rafah, a city in Gaza, as truce negotiations are ongoing in Egypt. Netanyahu approved a ground attack plan earlier in March, with the aim to evacuate the population before targeting Hamas battalions in Rafah. The UN and various countries have cautioned against the catastrophic consequences for civilians. Israeli forces have also continued raids in northern Gaza, targeting locations like the Al-Shifa Hospital. Meanwhile, negotiations in Cairo persist amidst ongoing heavy Israeli strikes in the Palestinian enclave.
On 7 October 2023, as part of the Hamas-led attack on Israel at the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups abducted 253 people from Israel to the Gaza Strip, including children, women, and elderly people. In addition to hostages with only Israeli citizenship, almost half of the hostages are foreign nationals or have multiple citizenships. The precise ratio of soldiers and civilians among the captives is unknown. The captives are likely being held in different locations in the Gaza Strip.As of February 14, 2024, 112 hostages were returned alive to Israel, with 105 being released in a prisoner exchange deal, 4 were released by Hamas unilaterally and 3 hostages were rescued by the IDF. 11 bodies of hostages were repatriated to Israel, with 3 of the hostages killed by friendly fire from the IDF and the bodies of 8 hostages repatriated through military operations. 32 hostages were reportedly killed in Hamas captivity according to Israel. According to unconfirmed Israeli intelligence, at least 20 additional hostages may be deceased, with their bodies being held captive in Gaza. As of February 14, 2024, 134 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip, with 130 hostages abducted on October 7, 2023 and four hostages having been captured earlier.Hamas has offered to release all hostages in exchange for Israel releasing all Palestinian prisoners. By October 2023, Israel held 5,200 Palestinians (including 170 juveniles) in its prisons. Hamas stated its objective was to secure their release. Several countries have been involved in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with Qatar taking the lead.On 22 November 2023, Israel and Hamas agreed to the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners and a four-day cease-fire in exchange for Hamas's release of approximately 50 of the hostages. The exchange involved hostages from the categories of women and children. As of 30 November 2023, the last day of the ceasefire, 105 civilian hostages had been released, which included 81 people from Israel, 23 Thais and one Filipino. On 12 February 2024, two Argentinian-Israeli civilians were rescued in Operation Golden Hand. As of January 2024, according to Israeli information, Hamas holds 108 hostages alive and 24 bodies.
Four UN peacekeepers were injured in a blast near the Lebanon-Israel border, leading to condemnations and ongoing investigations. Aid was sent to Gaza to address widespread hunger, while clashes and protests in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem demanded action in securing the release of Israeli hostages. The conflict in the region has resulted in numerous casualties, with clashes between Israeli forces and militants escalating. The UN Secretary-General expressed concerns over the clashes, urging all parties to cease hostilities and pursue diplomatic solutions.
Six months into Israel's war on Gaza, the UN Security Council passed a ceasefire resolution with US abstention, signaling Israel's international isolation. US-Israel tensions are strained due to differing approaches to Gaza's future and humanitarian issues. India prepares to vote, with PM Modi expected to secure a historic third term. Israel's mass surveillance on Palestinians using facial recognition has been exposed. While US and Israel navigate domestic political pressures, there are signs of mature statesmanship in addressing the Gaza conflict.
The Israel–Hamas war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas launched an unprecedented multi-faceted and sustained assault on Israel from the Gaza Strip.As of 29 February 2024, over 30,000 people (29,782 Palestinian and 1,410 Israeli) have been killed in the Israel–Hamas war, including 88 journalists (83 Palestinian, 2 Israeli and 3 Lebanese) and over 136 UNRWA aid workers.On 7 October 2023, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 764 civilians, were killed, and 248 persons taken hostage during the initial attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Since then, over 29,782 Palestinians (the majority of whom were women and minors) in the Gaza Strip have been killed according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties in its reports. The IDF estimated 12,000 Hamas combatants were killed as of 19 February 2024. A further 382 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank by Israel military and settlers. Casualties have also occurred in other parts of Israel, as well as in southern Lebanon, and Syria. Some developments may become known or understood only in retrospect, so this is not an exhaustive list. Events on the ground for which the precise time is known are in Israel Summer Time (UTC+3) until October 29 when Israel Standard Time (UTC+2) resumed.
Protesters gather outside the Israeli parliament demanding a ceasefire deal with Hamas and early elections following the government's security failure in the October Hamas-led attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government faces criticism over the handling of the situation. The war on Gaza has resulted in significant casualties, with a truce in November leading to the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Talks on a new ceasefire and captive exchange were set to begin in Cairo. Demonstrators express frustration with Netanyahu's leadership and vow to continue the protest.
Gaza ( GAH-zə; Arabic: غَزَّة, romanized: Ġazzah, IPA: [ˈɣazza] ), also called Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Before the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, it was the most populous city in the State of Palestine, with 590,481 in 2017.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BCE, Gaza has been dominated by different peoples and empires throughout its history. The Philistines made it a part of their pentapolis after the ancient Egyptians had ruled it for nearly 350 years. Under the Roman Empire, Gaza experienced relative peace and its Mediterranean port flourished. In 635 CE, it became the first city in the Palestine region to be conquered by the Rashidun army and quickly developed into a centre of Islamic law. However, by the time the Crusader states were established in 1099, Gaza was in ruins. In later centuries, Gaza experienced several hardships—from Mongol raids to severe flooding and locust swarms, reducing it to a village by the 16th century, when it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. During the first half of Ottoman rule, the Ridwan dynasty controlled Gaza and the city went through an age of great commerce and peace. The municipality of Gaza was established in 1893.Gaza fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of Mandatory Palestine. As a result of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip territory and several improvements were undertaken in the city. Gaza was occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967, and in 1993, the city was transferred to the newly created Palestinian National Authority. In the months following the 2006 election, an armed conflict broke out between the Palestinian political factions of Fatah and Hamas, resulting in the latter taking power in Gaza. The Gaza Strip was then subject to an Israeli-led, Egyptian-supported blockade. Israel eased the blockade allowing consumer goods in June 2010, and Egypt reopened the Rafah Border Crossing in 2011 to pedestrians.The primary economic activities of Gaza are small-scale industries and agriculture. However, the blockade and recurring conflicts have put the economy under severe pressure. The majority of Gaza's Palestinian inhabitants are Muslim, although there is also a Christian minority. Gaza has a very young population, with roughly 75% under the age of 25. The city is currently administered by a 14-member municipal council.As of March 2024, as part of the Israel–Hamas war, the Israeli army has bombed large portions of the city and surrounding areas of the Northern Gaza Strip, destroying many buildings and infrastructure. Almost all residents have fled or been evacuated to Southern Gaza, or killed as a result. Therefore, previous recorded or estimated population numbers have become outdated.
A new report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warns of imminent famine in northern Gaza, where 300,000 people remain, with potential catastrophic levels in central and southern Gaza by July. The report, released Monday, highlights high levels of acute food insecurity for the entire Gaza Strip population, over 2 million people. Recent reports indicate children in Gaza are already dying from malnutrition and dehydration, with at least 23 deaths reported in the northern region. Gaza's Ministry of Health confirms the tragic impact of the food crisis.
Israel has presented a proposal to dismantle Unrwa, the UN relief agency in Palestinian territories, and transfer its staff to a new agency for large-scale food deliveries in Gaza. The proposal, aimed at addressing looming famine concerns, involves transferring 300 to 400 Unrwa staff initially with vague details on the new agency's management and security. Unrwa, a major humanitarian actor supporting Palestinians since 1950, has been excluded from discussions on its future. The Israeli plan is seen as potentially undermining Unrwa's role in the region and raising concerns about humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza.
Shifa International Hospital (SIH) is a private hospital located in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is listed as SHFA on the Pakistan Stock Exchange.It is a multi-specialty tertiary care hospital with over 550 beds. The hospital performs operation of liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplant. It offers 640 slice CT scan. SIH runs two medical centers in Islamabad and is constructing a full-fledge hospital in Faisalabad.
A UN-backed report reveals that over 70% of Gaza's population, or 1.1 million people, are facing catastrophic hunger with a looming famine expected in North Gaza between mid-March and May 2024. The blockade by Israel has led to severe food shortages, forcing some to eat animal feed. More than 27 children have died of malnutrition as aid deliveries were blocked. The report highlights a dire situation where conflict escalation and hindered humanitarian aid flow could exacerbate the crisis.
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres condemns the blocking of aid from entering Gaza, warning of imminent risk of starvation for half of Gaza's 2.3 million people. He calls for a surge in life-saving aid to prevent famine by the end of May. Guterres also urges for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire amid the Israeli offensive, which has led to over 32,000 Palestinian deaths. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proceeds with the offensive, disregarding Western concerns. The conflict, ongoing since October 7, has resulted in dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, prompting international calls for ceasefire and aid access.
The Fatah–Hamas conflict (Arabic: النزاع بين فتح وحماس, romanized: an-Nizāʿ bayna Fataḥ wa-Ḥamās) is an ongoing political and strategic conflict between Fatah and Hamas, the two main Palestinian political parties in the Palestinian territories, leading to the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007. The reconciliation process and unification of Hamas and Fatah administrations remains unfinalized and the situation is deemed a frozen conflict.The Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights has found that over 600 Palestinians were killed in the fighting from January 2006 to May 2007. Dozens more were killed or executed in the following years as part of the conflict.
A tanker has delivered fuel to Gaza for the first time since the war between Hamas and Israel began five weeks ago. Israeli authorities have restricted its use to transporting aid into Gaza and none can be used to power hospitals or water pumps. The lack of fuel has caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with the UN warning of a 'humanitarian disaster' and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees unable to unload or distribute aid. Unrwa's Commissioner General wrote on social media that 'Our entire operation is now on the verge of collapse.'
A blockade has been imposed on the movement of goods and people in and out of the Gaza Strip following Hamas's takeover in 2007, led by Israel and supported by Egypt. The blockade's current stated aim is to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza, although previously stated motivations have included exerting economic pressure on Hamas. Human rights groups have described the blockade as illegal and a form of collective punishment as it restricts the flow of essential goods, contributes to economic hardship, and limits the freedom of movement for Gaza's residents. The blockade and its effects have led to the territory being described as an "open-air prison".Exit and entry into Gaza is prohibited by sea and air. There are only three crossings to go in and out of Gaza, two of them controlled by Israel and one by Egypt. Movement of Palestinians through Erez is heavily regulated by Israel, with applications being considered only for a small number of laborers (less than 5% the number in the year 2000) and for limited medical and humanitarian reasons. Israel's military cooperation with Egypt and its control of the population registry (through which it controls who can obtain the necessary travel documents) provides it with influence over movement through Rafah. Imports are heavily restricted, with "dual use" items being only permitted as part of donor projects. This includes construction material and computer equipment. Exports are also heavily restricted with the main impediment to economic development in Gaza being Israel's ban on virtually all exports from the Strip.Israel blockaded the Gaza Strip at various levels of intensity in 2005–2006, with Israeli imposed closures having a history going back to 1991. In 2007, after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, Israel imposed an indefinite blockade of Gaza that is ongoing to present day, on the grounds that Fatah and Palestinian Authority forces had fled the Strip and were no longer able to provide security on the Palestinian side. In response, Hamas fired thousands of rockets towards urban areas in Israel. Israel stated that the blockade was necessary to protect itself from Palestinian political violence, rocket attacks, and to prevent dual use goods from entering Gaza.Israel has been accused of violating or failing to fulfill specific obligations it had committed to under various ceasefire agreements on different occasions to alleviate or lift the blockade. "Crossings were repeatedly shut and buffer zones were reinstated. Imports declined, exports were blocked, and fewer Gazans were given exit permits to Israel and the West Bank." The blockade has been decried by human rights groups, international community representatives and legal professionals as a form of collective punishment in contravention of international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention. Rights groups have held Israel mainly responsible as the occupying power.
The Pakistan Navy Ship Shifa or PNS Shifa is a Pakistan Navy-operated hospital located in Karachi, Sindh Province.
Despite the raging conflict in the war-torn region, about 100 Palestinian Christians attended Easter services at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and a small group gathered at the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem. This year's services were significantly smaller due to the ongoing battles between Hamas and Israeli forces. In Gaza City, the Holy Family Church is near the site of recent fighting between Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces. The dwindling Christian community in Gaza faces challenges including holding Easter services without electricity due to Israel's siege of the enclave.
On 7 October 2023, the paramilitary wings of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, PRC, PFLP and DFLP launched a series of coordinated armed incursions into the Gaza envelope of neighboring Israel, the first invasion of Israeli home territory since the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. The attacks, on a Saturday, initiated the Israel–Hamas war, almost exactly 50 years after Operation Badr and the greater Yom Kippur War of 6 October 1973. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups named the attacks Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (or Deluge; Arabic: عملية طوفان الأقصى, romanized: ʿamaliyyat ṭūfān al-ʾAqṣā, usually romanised as "Tufan Al-Aqsa" or "Toofan Al-Aqsa"), while in Israel they are referred to as Black Saturday (Hebrew: השבת השחורה) or the Simchat Torah Massacre (הטבח בשמחת תורה), and internationally as the 7 October attack.The attacks began in the early morning with a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 rockets launched against Israel and vehicle-transported and powered paraglider incursions into Israel. Hamas fighters breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking military bases and massacring civilians in neighboring Israeli communities, including in Be'eri, Kfar Aza, and Nir Oz, and at the Nova music festival. The attacks resulted in 1,139 deaths—695 Israeli civilians (including 36 children), 71 foreign nationals, and 373 members of the security forces. Approximately 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip, including 30 children, with the stated goal to force Israel to release Palestinian prisoners. Numerous accounts of rape and sexual assault by Hamas fighters have been reported, which Hamas has denied.Hamas said its attack was in response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, rising Israeli settler violence, and recent escalations.At least 44 countries denounced the attack as terrorism, while some Arab and Muslim countries blamed Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories as the root cause of the attack. The day was labeled the bloodiest in Israel's history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.
Babies at Al Shifa hospital in Gaza are in grave danger due to a lack of electricity, water, food, medicines, and equipment. The premature babies, who should be in incubators, were moved to ordinary beds due to a shortage of electricity. They are too cold, the temperature is unstable, and there are no infection control measures in place. The babies are transmitting viruses to each other and have no immunity. There is no way to sterilize their milk and bottle teats to the required standard, leading to gastritis and a risk of dehydration. Conditions are described as deadly.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a visit to Washington after the US did not veto a UN Security Council resolution on a Gaza ceasefire. The US and Israel are working to reschedule a meeting to discuss Israel's military operation in Gaza's Rafah. Netanyahu approved plans for a ground invasion of Rafah, despite concerns about civilian casualties. Tensions have escalated between the US and Israel, with disagreements over the Gaza conflict and an impending invasion of Rafah.
Hamas, an acronym of its official name, Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Arabic: حركة المقاومة الإسلامية, romanized: Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, lit. 'Islamic Resistance Movement'), is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military movement governing parts of the occupied Gaza Strip.Hamas was founded by Palestinian imam and activist Ahmed Yassin in 1987, after the outbreak of the First Intifada against the Israeli occupation. It emerged from his 1973 Mujama al-Islamiya Islamic charity affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election by campaigning on Palestinian armed resistance against the Israeli occupation, thus securing a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council. In 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from rival Palestinian faction Fatah, which it has governed since separately from the Palestinian National Authority. This was followed by an Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip with Egyptian support, and multiple wars with Israel, including in 2008–09, 2012, 2014, and 2021. The ongoing 2023 war began after Hamas launched an attack, killing both civilians and soldiers, and taking hostages back to Gaza. The attack has been described as the biggest military setback for Israel since the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, which Israel has responded to in an ongoing ground invasion of Gaza.Hamas promotes Palestinian nationalism in an Islamic context. While initially seeking a state in all of Mandatory Palestine, Hamas began acquiescing to 1967 borders in the agreements it signed with Fatah in 2005, 2006 and 2007 In 2017, Hamas released a new charter that supported a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders without recognizing Israel. Hamas's repeated offers of a truce (for a period of 10–100 years) based on the 1967 borders are seen by many as consistent with a two-state solution, while others say that Hamas retains the long-term objective of establishing one state in former Mandatory Palestine. The 1988 Hamas charter was widely described as antisemitic. The revised 2017 Hamas Charter stated that Hamas's struggle was with Zionists, not Jews. Hamas is widely popular in Palestinian society largely due to its anti-Israeli stance.Hamas has carried out attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, including suicide bombings and indiscriminate rocket attacks. These actions have led human rights groups to accuse it of war crimes, and Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Paraguay, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. In 2018, a motion at the United Nations to condemn Hamas was rejected.
Four individuals, including three military observers and a Lebanese translator, were wounded in an explosion near the Blue Line that divides Lebanon and Israel, as reported by the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. The incident involved a UN patrol that was hit by an explosion, although the Israeli military denied reports of striking a UNIFIL vehicle. UNIFIL emphasized the need for safety and security for UN personnel, urging all parties to protect non-combatants and cease heavy exchanges of fire to prevent further harm. Israel has engaged in clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon during the Israel-Hamas war, resulting in casualties among Hezbollah fighters, civilians, and UN personnel.
President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has formed a new Cabinet with Mohammad Mustafa as the prime minister, aiming to create a technocratic government and an independent trust fund for Gaza's rebuild. Interior Minister Ziad Hab al-Rih is from Abbass Fatah movement, while the incoming minister for Jerusalem affairs, Ashraf al-Awar, ran as a Fatah candidate in delayed 2021 elections. The PA, dominant in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has faced criticism for lack of popular support, absence of elections in 18 years, and unpopular security cooperation with Israel.
The Arab–Israeli conflict is the phenomenon involving political tension, military conflicts, and other disputes between various Arab countries and Israel, which escalated during the 20th century. The roots of the Arab–Israeli conflict have been attributed to the support by Arab League member countries for the Palestinians, a fellow League member, in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict; this in turn has been attributed to the simultaneous rise of Zionism and Arab nationalism towards the end of the 19th century, though the two national movements had not clashed until the 1920s.Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict arose from the conflicting claims by these movements to the land that formed the British Mandatory Palestine, which was regarded by the Jewish people as their ancestral homeland, while at the same time it was regarded by the Pan-Arab movement as historically and currently belonging to the Arab Palestinians, and in the Pan-Islamic context, as Muslim lands. The sectarian conflict within the British Mandate territory between Palestinian Jews and Arabs escalated into a full-scale Palestinian civil war in 1947. Taking the side of the Palestinian Arabs, especially following the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the neighbouring Arab countries invaded the by-then former Mandate territory in May 1948, commencing the First Arab–Israeli War. Large-scale hostilities mostly ended with ceasefire agreements after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Peace agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt in 1979, resulting in Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula and the abolition of the military governance system in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in favor of Israeli Civil Administration and consequent unilateral annexation of the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem.The nature of the conflict has shifted over the years from the large-scale, regional Arab–Israeli conflict to a more local Israeli–Palestinian conflict, which peaked during the 1982 Lebanon War when Israel intervened in the Lebanese Civil War to oust the Palestinian Liberation Organization from Lebanon. With the decline of the 1987–1993 First Intifada, the interim Oslo Accords led to the creation of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994, within the context of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process. The same year, Israel and Jordan reached a peace accord. In 2002, the Arab League offered recognition of Israel by Arab countries as part of the resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in the Arab Peace Initiative. The initiative, which has been reconfirmed since, calls for normalizing relations between the Arab League and Israel, in exchange for a full withdrawal by Israel from the occupied territories (including East Jerusalem) and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee problem based on UN Resolution 194. In the 1990s and early 2000s, a ceasefire had been largely maintained between Israel and Syria, while limited warfare continued in Lebanon against Iranian proxy militias. Despite the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, the interim peace accords with the Palestinian Authority and the generally existing ceasefire, until the mid-2010s the Arab League and Israel had remained at odds with each other over many issues. Among Arab belligerents in the conflict, Iraq and Syria are the only states who have reached no formal peace accord or treaty with Israel, with both supporting Iran.The Syrian civil war reshuffled the situation near Israel's northern border, putting the Syrian Arab Republic, Hezbollah and the Syrian opposition at odds with each other and complicating their relations with Israel, upon the emerging warfare with Iran. The conflict between Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza, is also attributed to the Iran–Israel proxy conflict. By 2017, Israel and several Arab Sunni states led by Saudi Arabia formed a semi-official coalition to confront Iran. This move and the Israeli normalization with Gulf states was marked by some as the fading of the Arab–Israeli conflict.
Jared Kushner, former adviser to Donald Trump, praised Gaza's 'very valuable' waterfront property and suggested Israel should remove civilians while it 'cleans up' the area. He believes Palestinian lives will improve when the international community demands accountability from their leadership. The debate over the Israel-Hamas war has become a key theme in the U.S. presidential election. Kushner also proposed plans involving Rafah and the Negev desert in Israel.
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, also known as the First Arab–Israeli War, followed the civil war in Mandatory Palestine as the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. It formally began following the end of the British Mandate for Palestine at midnight on 14 May 1948; the Israeli Declaration of Independence had been issued earlier that day, and a military coalition of Arab states entered the territory of Mandatory Palestine in the morning of 15 May.The day after the 29 November 1947 adoption of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine – which planned to divide the territory into an Arab state, a Jewish state, and the Special International Regime encompassing the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem – a civil war began. There had been tension and conflict between Arabs, Jews, and the British since the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1920 creation of the British Mandate of Palestine. British policies dissatisfied both Arabs and Jews. Arab opposition developed into the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, while the Jewish opposition developed into the 1944–1947 Jewish insurgency in Palestine.On 15 May 1948, the civil war transformed into a conflict between Israel and the Arab states following the Israeli Declaration of Independence the previous day. Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, and expeditionary forces from Iraq entered Palestine. The invading forces took control of the Arab areas and immediately attacked Israeli forces and several Jewish settlements. The 10 months of fighting took place mostly on the territory of the British Mandate and in the Sinai Peninsula and southern Lebanon, interrupted by several truce periods.As a result of the war, the State of Israel controlled the area that the UN had proposed for the Jewish state, as well as almost 60% of the area proposed for the Arab state, including the Jaffa, Lydda and Ramle area, Upper Galilee, some parts of the Negev and a wide strip along the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem road. Israel also took control of West Jerusalem, which was meant to be part of an international zone for Jerusalem and its environs. Transjordan took control of East Jerusalem and what became known as the West Bank, annexing it the following year. The territory which became the Gaza Strip was occupied by Egypt.Over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes in the area that became Israel, marking the beginning of the Palestinian refugee problem, in what they refer to as the Nakba (Arabic for "the catastrophe"). A similar number of Jews moved to Israel during the three years following the war, including 260,000 from the surrounding Arab states.
A 19-year-old Palestinian worker from Hebron stabbed and wounded three people in a shopping mall near Ashdod, Israel. The attacker was neutralized by local police, and the victims, in serious condition, were taken to a nearby hospital. This incident is part of a series of recent attacks across Israel and the West Bank, following the Hamas attack on Israel in Gaza.
A video circulating on social media shows a London police officer suggesting swastikas at a pro-Palestinian rally should be taken in context, sparking outrage as a Jewish woman argues they are immediately antisemitic symbols. The officer cited the Public Order Act 2023 but faced criticism for downplaying the offensiveness of the swastika. The World Health Organization remains silent on Hamas using a Gaza hospital as a terror headquarters amidst rising tensions in the region.
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict in the Levant. Beginning in the mid-20th century, it is one of the world's longest-continuing conflicts. Key areas of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, security, water rights, Palestinian freedom of movement, and the Palestinian right of return.The conflict has its origins in the arrival of Jewish immigrants and settlers to Palestine in the late 19th and 20th centuries and the advent of the Zionist movement. The local Arab population opposed Zionism, primarily out of fear of territorial displacement and dispossession. The Zionist movement garnered the support of an imperial power in the 1917 Balfour Declaration issued by Britain, which promised to support the creation of a "Jewish homeland in Palestine". Following World War I, Mandatory Palestine was established, and tensions grew into open sectarian conflict between Jews and Arabs. In 1936, an Arab revolt erupted demanding independence, which the British suppressed.The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine triggered the 1948 Palestine war, which saw the expulsion and flight of most Palestinian Arabs, the establishment of Israel on most of the Mandate's territory, and the control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by Egypt and Jordan, respectively. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which became known as the Palestinian territories), which is now considered to be the longest military occupation in modern history, and has drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians.The conflict has claimed many civilian casualties, mostly Palestinian, since its inception. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside efforts to resolve the broader Arab–Israeli conflict. Progress towards a negotiated solution between the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was made with the Oslo Accords of 1993–1995. The majority of recent peace efforts have been centred around the two-state solution, which involves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Public support for a two-state solution, which formerly enjoyed support from both Israeli Jews and Palestinians, has dwindled in recent years. Official negotiations are mediated by the Quartet on the Middle East, which consists of the United Nations, the United States, Russia, and the European Union. The Arab League, which has proposed the Arab Peace Initiative, is another important actor, along with Egypt and Jordan. Since 2006, the Palestinian side has been split between Fatah dominating the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas that gained control of the Gaza Strip. Attempts to remedy this have been repeated and continuing. Since 2019, the Israeli side has also been experiencing political crisis. The latest round of peace negotiations began in July 2013 but were suspended in 2014. Since 2006, Hamas and Israel have fought five wars, the most recent of which began in 2023 and is ongoing as of March 2024.
Since the start of the Israel–Hamas war on 7 October 2023, the UN Human Rights Council has identified "clear evidence" of war crimes by both Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces. A UN Commission to the Israel–Palestine conflict stated that there is "clear evidence that war crimes may have been committed in the latest explosion of violence in Israel and Gaza, and all those who have violated international law and targeted civilians must be held accountable." On 27 October, a spokesperson for the OHCHR called for an independent court to review potential war crimes committed by both sides.The International Criminal Court confirmed that its mandate to investigate alleged war crimes committed since June 2014 in the State of Palestine extends to the current conflict.
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By WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY
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