Turkey has suspended all imports and exports to Israel due to Israel's ongoing military action in Gaza, vowing to continue the measures until humanitarian aid flows uninterrupted to the region. This is the second phase of Turkish measures against Israel, following restrictions on 54 types of products last month. Israel's Foreign Minister accused Turkey of blocking trade through Turkish ports and is exploring alternative trade options.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with Israel during a Workers Day celebration, citing Israel's government as genocidal. Petro has criticized Israel for its actions in Gaza, likening them to Nazi crimes. Israel, a key supplier of military equipment to Colombia, responded by cancelling exports in the security sector. The move makes Colombia the largest country to sever ties amid the Gaza conflict.
"Trucks of cigarettes also entered Gaza last night. Are cigarettes a basic need? How long can the Palestinians fool the world?" read a Facebook post shared on April 19, 2024. It featured a photo of trucks loaded with boxes at a warehouse. The photo was shared in similar posts around the world, including Australia , Britain and Israel . Israel's more than six-month war against Hamas in Gaza has triggered a humanitarian crisis , and it faces growing pressure to enable more aid deliveries as the United Nations warns famine is imminent.
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."
Iran launched a direct military attack on Israel, firing more than 300 drones and missiles, with most being intercepted by Israel and its allies. This attack was in retaliation for Israel's strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. Israel, along with the United States, Britain, France, and other allies, formed a coalition to counter Iran's unprecedented attack. Israel's Foreign Minister called for imposing sanctions on Iran's missile project and designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the end of diplomatic relations with Israel due to the war in Gaza, calling Israel's president genocidal. This decision comes after suspending weapons purchases from Israel and comparing its actions in Gaza to Nazi Germany. Israel's Foreign Minister criticized Petro, stating that history would remember his support for 'despicable monsters'. Colombia had historic military ties with Israel, using Israeli-built warplanes and machine guns. Relations between the two countries have cooled since Petro became Colombia's first leftist president in 2022.
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.
Estimates from the United Nations suggest that if the Israel-Hamas war ended today, it would take until 2040 to rebuild all the homes destroyed in nearly seven months of Israel's attacks in Gaza. The United States has urged Israel to increase aid deliveries, reopening a border crossing to facilitate access. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pushing for a cease-fire deal, involving the release of hostages by Hamas in exchange for essential supplies. The conflict has led to significant casualties and displacement in Gaza, with Colombias president announcing the country's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Israel over the war.
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.
Foreign relations of Israel refers to diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other countries around the world. Israel has diplomatic ties with 164 of the other 192 UN member states as of December 2020. Israel is a member of the United Nations (UN) and a number of other international organisations. Israel maintains full diplomatic relations with two of its Arab neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, after signing peace treaties in 1979 and 1994 respectively. In 2020, Israel signed agreements establishing diplomatic relations with four Arab League countries, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco. As of 2021, Israel had formal diplomatic relations with 168 other countries, while twenty-eight UN member states have either never established, or have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel.Israel's foreign relations are influenced primarily by Israel's strategic situation in the Middle East, the broader Arab–Israeli conflict and the conflict with Iran particularly over Iran's nuclear program, along with the rejection by regional states. Israel's foreign policy goals have therefore been to overcome diplomatic isolation and to achieve recognition and friendly relations with as many nations as possible, both in the Middle East region and further afield. Israel practices both open and secret diplomacy to further national goals, for example, commercial trade and science and technology cooperation, importing raw materials, engaging in military procurement as well as exporting arms and military assistance, intelligence cooperation with its allies, and prisoner-of-war exchanges and other arrangements for hostage releases. It has also sought to foster increased Jewish immigration to Israel and to protect vulnerable Jewish communities in the Diaspora, to offer aid to developing countries and humanitarian assistance to countries facing large-scale disasters.Israel's close friendship with the United States has been a linchpin of its foreign policy since the establishment of the state. Until the Iranian Revolution and the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979, Israel and Iran maintained close ties. Iran was the second Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation after Turkey. In the mid-20th century, Israel ran extensive foreign aid and educational programs in Africa, sending experts in agriculture, water management and health care. China is also one of the few countries in the world to concurrently maintain warm relations with both Israel and the Muslim world at large. China's geopolitical credibility, reputation, and standing in world affairs has continued to play a significant role in shaping Israel's approach to international affairs and foreign policy towards Beijing, owing to China's global influence, which aligns harmoniously with the Jewish state's sensible economic management, political stability, as well as its regional strategic importance in the Middle East.During the 2000s, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that the increasing influence of the European Union would further isolate Israel in global affairs. In the wake of a series of diplomatic rifts with Turkey and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in 2011, Israel had increasingly unfriendly relations with those countries for a few years. During roughly the same period, Israeli relations with many countries in Europe including Greece and Cyprus in the context of the Energy Triangle and in Asia, including China and India, were enhanced, largely on account of the growth of Israel's high-tech economy. Israeli ties with Egypt have improved since the Muslim Brotherhood was removed from power there, while ties to Turkey have been uneven since their 2010 nadir.
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 International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly planning to charge top Israeli military and political figures with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The ICC investigation was launched in March 2021 and has been expanded to include violence since Israel's latest war in Gaza began in October. Israel, not a signatory to the Rome Statute, does not recognize the ICC's authority, and the US shares this stance.
Student protests are taking place in multiple UK universities, including Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, and Newcastle, in solidarity with Palestinians. Demonstrations are calling for divestment from arms firms supplying Israel and severing links with Israeli universities. Similar protests have occurred in the US, triggering renewed anger and shared solidarity among UK students. Protests in Gaza express gratitude towards US college students. The demonstrations have drawn global criticism of Israel's actions, with accusations of antisemitism rejected by student protesters. The protests, escalating in the US, have resonated with students in Gaza.
Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden announced that they have the right to remove any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols at the event due to tensions surrounding Israel's participation in the competition amidst its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian groups are expected to protest in Malmo. Ticket buyers are only allowed to display flags of participating countries and the rainbow flag. Security is tight in Sweden due to terrorism threats. Pro-Palestinian activists plan rallies in Malmo, away from the contest venue.
There is a catastrophic-level food crisis with increasing risk of famine in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israel–Hamas war. The crisis derives from Israeli airstrikes that have destroyed food infrastructure, such as bakeries and flour mills, and a widespread scarcity of essential supplies. This has left over half a million Gazans on the brink of starvation and is part of a broader humanitarian crisis in the Strip.Human rights groups have accused Israel of using starvation as a method of warfare. The limited entry of aid trucks has exacerbated the crisis, prompting experts to label it as one of the worst instances of man-made starvation in nearly a century. According to Michael Fakhri, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, "famine may very well be already occurring".The entire population in the Gaza Strip is classified in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 - Crisis, or above. 50% of the population is in IPC Phase 4 - Emergency, and 25% is in IPC Phase 5 - Catastrophe. According to the IPC, the risk of famine is increasing every day.
Hamas is considering a new proposal for a cease-fire with Israel to prevent an Israeli attack on Rafah. The United States and other mediators are involved in the negotiations. The deal's success hinges on Israel accepting an end to the war without achieving its goal of destroying Hamas. A UN report warns that the war's aftermath will lead to long-term economic setbacks and delays in rebuilding destroyed homes until 2040. Hamas demands assurances for a full hostage release in exchange for ending the conflict, but Israel insists on maintaining security control post-war.
The Iran–Israel proxy conflict, also known as the Iran–Israel proxy war or Iran–Israel Cold War, is an ongoing proxy conflict between Iran and Israel. In the Israeli–Lebanese conflict, Iran has supported Lebanese Shia militias, most notably Hezbollah. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran has backed Palestinian groups such as Hamas. Israel has supported Iranian rebels, such as the People's Mujahedin of Iran, conducted airstrikes against Iranian allies in Syria and assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists. In 2018 Israeli forces directly attacked Iranian forces in Syria.Motivated by the periphery doctrine, Imperial Iran and Israel had close relations, seeing Arab powers as a common threat. After the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran cut off relations, but covert ties continued during the subsequent Iran–Iraq War. Iran trained and armed Hezbollah during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and continued to back Shia militias throughout the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon. Even before 1979, Iranian Islamists had materially supported the Palestinians; after 1979 Iran attempted relations with the Palestine Liberation Organization, and later with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Israel fought a war with Hezbollah in 2006. Israel has fought several wars with Palestinians in and around the Gaza Strip: in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2023-2024. The 1982 Lebanon War and Israel–Hamas war have been the deadliest wars of the Arab–Israeli conflict.Various reasons have been given for the Iran-Israel conflict. Iran and Israel had previously enjoyed warm ties due to common threats, but by 1990s the USSR had dissolved and Iraq had been weakened. Iranian Islamists have long championed the Palestinian people, whom they perceive as "oppressed". Scholars believe that by supporting the Palestinians, Iran seeks greater acceptance among Sunnis and Arabs, both of whom dominate the Middle East. Ideologically, Iran seeks to replace Israel with a one-state solution (though Iran has at times also supported the two-state solution) and has predicted Israel's demise. Israel sees Iran as an existential threat, and accuses its regime of harboring genocidal intentions. Consequently, Israel has sought sanctions and military action against Iran to stop it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
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.
Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission. Just when you thought President Biden couldnt possibly care less about US national security, the White House is reportedly considering opening the United States to refugees from Gaza . One plan would use the US Refugee Admissions Program (which Biden raised the cap on in 2021, caving to pressure from leftists ) to grant refugee status to those whove fled into Egypt from the Gaza Strip which would mean taxpayer-funded benefits and the potential to gain US citizenship. Gazans who have relatives in the United States could also be let in.
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.
In 2024, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict escalated to a direct conflict between the two countries. On 1 April, Israel bombed an Iranian consulate annex in Damascus, Syria, killing multiple senior Iranian officials. In response, Iran and its proxies launched strikes inside Israel on 13 April. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes in Iran on 19 April.
Former President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to prevent the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack in which around 1,200 people were killed. Trump mentioned that Netanyahu has been rightfully criticized for the incident and expressed frustration over Israel's lack of awareness despite having sophisticated security equipment. Trump also hinted at supporting Netanyahu's political rival Benny Gantz. The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu soured when Netanyahu acknowledged Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election, leading to Trump feeling betrayed. Trump expressed disappointment over Israel pulling out of a U.S-led operation to kill Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
Israel's Foreign Minister has warned that Israel would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory. Tensions have risen following the killings of Iranian generals in a blast at the Iranian consulate in Syria, with Iran blaming Israel for the attack and vowing retaliation. Iran supports anti-Israeli militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has accused the West, especially the U.S. and Britain, of supporting Israel. Iran's Foreign Minister accused the U.S. of giving Israel the "green light" for the consulate strike.
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.
Protesters call US university funds into question and demand schools divest from Israel for its war on Gaza. From Columbia Univeristy in New York to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, protests against Israels war on Gaza have spread across major United States colleges. Protesters demands vary in scope from school to school. But there is one common message disclose and divest. Students want their universities to be more transparent about where their schools money is going.
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