The Israeli army is poised to launch an assault on Rafah in southern Gaza, instructing Palestinians to evacuate parts of the city amidst a breakdown in truce negotiations blamed on Hamas. Israeli forces have called for residents in eastern Rafah to move to an expanded humanitarian area in al-Mawasi refugee camp. Despite warnings of a humanitarian disaster from US allies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on the offensive, citing Rafah as a Hamas stronghold. Concerns arise over where the city's population of around 1.4 million can seek safety during the impending military operation.
Israel has urged Palestinians in parts of the Gazan city of Rafah to evacuate, preparing for a potential assault on Hamas units. Hamas officials deem it a dangerous escalation, while a resident expresses uncertainty and concern for their family's safety. The UNRWA warns of potential civilian suffering and casualties, vowing to continue aid efforts. The Israeli military initiates a limited operation for temporary evacuation in eastern Rafah, emphasizing it's not a city-wide evacuation. Refugees in Rafah express worries amid the unfolding situation. Israeli Defence Minister briefs the U.S. on recent Hamas attacks near the Rafah Crossing.
The Israeli army is strengthening its positions in the Gaza Strip, specifically targeting Rafah and Hamas brigades, amidst a surge in population due to families fleeing Israeli attacks. Pressure from allies and threats of invasion have led to the construction of a refugee camp at Khan Younis. Plans for housing evacuees in tents and determining safer zones remain unclear. Right-wing members of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are pushing for a ground offensive on Rafah, emphasizing the importance of protecting Israel.
The UN's aid chief, Martin Griffiths, warned of an imminent Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, expressing concern over the potential for further trauma and deaths in the city. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention to enter Rafah, targeting Hamas's last stronghold, regardless of ceasefire proposals. The US opposes the operation until Israel presents a credible evacuation plan. Negotiations for a ceasefire, hostage release, and aid relief are ongoing, with hopes of a truce and prisoner exchange. Over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the seven-month conflict, prompting international calls for peace.
Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with US counterpart Lloyd Austin, stating that military action is required in Rafah due to stalling talks over the release of Israeli hostages. The Pentagon confirmed ongoing discussions on hostage negotiations, humanitarian aid, and the need for a credible plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians during any military operation. The Israeli army has ordered Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah for humanitarian reasons, aiming to move about 100,000 people to a designated humanitarian zone called Al Mawasi.
The Rafah offensive is a planned offensive in the city of Rafah, part of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip. Israel announced plans to invade the city in February 2024, and conducted intensified airstrikes as a result. Israel stated it would invade the city if hostages weren't freed by Ramadan.Israel states that multiple Hamas brigades are present in the city which is therefore crucial to its goal of destroying the militant group. Because of the more than one million displaced people in Rafah, and it being the southernmost city in Gaza, multiple countries expressed concerns about potential high casualties. The United States, Israel's largest military supplier, did not approve of plans to invade. Egypt, concerned about a possible refugee crisis in Sinai, increased security on its border with Gaza.
The Israeli military warned Palestinians not to return to northern Gaza after opening fire and killing five people trying to walk back to their homes following Hamas' attack on southern Israel. Around 300,000 Palestinians in the north are on the brink of famine, amidst flattened areas and restricted aid. Defense Minister Gallant plans an invasion of Rafah, met with objections from the international community and the United States. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza's 2.3 million people, with over 33,700 Palestinians killed and 76,200 wounded in bombardments and ground offensives.
Israel briefed Biden administration officials on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians in Rafah ahead of a potential operation to root out Hamas militants. The U.S. opposes the operation, warning it could harm innocent civilians and worsen the humanitarian crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu intends to proceed despite concerns from President Biden. Secretary of State Blinken stated that without a credible plan to protect civilians, the U.S. cannot support the operation. The United Nations warns that an assault on Rafah could lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths, as the city is a vital humanitarian aid hub for displaced Palestinians.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza to prevent the war from worsening exponentially. Efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are ongoing to mediate talks for a truce and captive release. Concerns are raised about a potential Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, which could endanger hundreds of thousands of civilians. Despite international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to launch a full-scale attack on Rafah. Hamas aims for a lasting ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Rafah (Arabic: رفح Rafaḥ [rafaħ]; Hebrew: רָפִיחַ Rafiaḥ [ʁaˈfi.aχ]) is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip; it is the capital of the Rafah Governorate, located 30 kilometers (19 mi) south-west of Gaza City. In 2017, Rafah had a population of 171,889. As a result of massive bombardment and ground assaults in Gaza City and Khan Yunis by Israel during the Israel–Hamas war, about 1.4 million people are believed to be sheltering in Rafah as of February 2024.When Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1982, Rafah was split into a Gazan part and an Egyptian part, dividing families, separated by barbed-wire barriers. The core of the city was destroyed by Israel and Egypt to create a large buffer zone.Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Gaza's only airport, Yasar Arafat International Airport, was located just south of the city. The airport operated from 1998 to 2001, until it was bombed and bulldozed by the Israeli military (IDF).
Following over 34,000 casualties in Gaza, Hamas plans to send a delegation to Cairo for ceasefire talks with a positive spirit. Hamas demands a complete cessation of aggression, withdrawal of occupation forces, relief, and reconstruction. Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to crush remaining fighters in Rafah, risking civilian lives. International concern arises over a potential bloodbath in Rafah. Protests against Israel spread globally, and Turkey suspends trade worth $9.5 billion with Israel. Famine threat looms in Gaza as aid struggles to reach those in need.
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.
Rafah (Arabic: رفح, IPA: [ˈɾɑfɑħ]) is a city in North Sinai and Egypt's eastern border with the Gaza Strip currently undergoing demolition. It is the capital of Rafah center in North Sinai Governorate, and is situated on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Egypt.Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian government announced in early 2015 that it would raze the entire city and build a new settlement for its residents, in order to expand a security buffer between Egypt and Gaza Strip. The Egyptian military reportedly began bulldozing sections of Rafah in late 2014.
The Rafah Governorate (Arabic: محافظة رفح Muḥāfaẓat Rafaḥ) is a Governorate of Palestine in the southernmost portion of the Gaza Strip. Its district capital or muhfaza is the city of Rafah located on the border with Egypt. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the governorate had a population of 267,635 in mid-year 2022. It contains the closed down Yasser Arafat International Airport.
A delegation from Hamas is in Cairo for negotiations with mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US to halt Israel's war on Gaza for 40 days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israel insists on launching a ground invasion into Gaza's Rafah city. Talks are in a critical phase with progress made but sticking points remain, including the ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza. UN agencies warn a ground operation would be catastrophic for the 1.5 million people in Rafah.
The Israeli army has bombed dozens of targets in Gaza, leading to a humanitarian crisis according to UN Chief Antonio Guterres. Concerns of wider war in the Middle East have risen after Israel's retaliation threats against Iran. The US and Britain have imposed sanctions on Iran's military drone program amidst escalating tensions. Calls for restraint have been made while Iran warns Israel of potential regrets. Despite global focus on Iran tensions, Israel continues its offensive in Gaza, drawing attention to the fragile situation in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that if Israel agrees to Hamas extreme positions, a cease-fire is only a matter of time, while Hamas is engaged in cease-fire talks in Cairo. Israel has closed its main crossing for aid delivery after Hamas attacked it, escalating tensions. The U.S. is preparing for aid delivery in Gaza via a new sea route. Netanyahu faces pressure from hard-liners in his government to reject Hamas demands. Cease-fire efforts in Cairo are hindered by ongoing attacks and disagreements over terms, with Israel vowing to press on with military operations. A full-blown famine warning in northern Gaza adds urgency to the negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledges to launch a ground attack on Rafah, Hamas's last major stronghold, to achieve total victory, whether or not a deal with Hamas is reached. The remarks were made amidst negotiations for a ceasefire in the nearly seven-month-long Gaza conflict.
The Battle of Rafah primarily refers to any of the military engagements fought in and around Rafah, today in the Gaza Strip:
(Bloomberg) -- Israel closed the Kerem Shalom humanitarian crossing into Gaza on Sunday after a rocket barrage was fired by Hamas from the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in an incident that could imperil delicate hostage and cease-fire negotiations. Most Read from Bloomberg Frances Macron Calls for Reset of Economic Ties With China Everything Apple Plans to Show at May 7 Let Loose iPad Event Berkshire Cash Hoard Scores Another Record as Earnings Gain Worsening Weather Is Igniting a $25 Billion Market The Worlds Hunger for Salmon Is Linked to an Ecological Disaster Israel and Hamas have been negotiating for weeks through mediators toward a potential truce that would include the release of hostages held in Gaza and of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. At the same time, Israel has threatened to launch an operation in Rafah, where it says Hamas battalions remain intact, and where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are sheltering. The Israeli army said about 10 projectiles were fired at Kerem Shalom, a corridor for humanitarian aid transfers that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited last week. Hamas military wing claimed responsibility for the attack, which Israels Foreign Ministry said in a social media post injured seven people.
The Israeli army has sent tanks to Beit Hanoun in Gaza, surrounded a school housing displaced people, and forced all families to evacuate amidst heavy bombardment. Israeli forces detained several men, and residents reported an internet outage. This escalation comes after Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in retaliation for a previous Hamas rampage, resulting in casualties and displacements. Efforts for a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas led by Qatar and Egypt have not shown progress after six months of fighting.
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.
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 Rafah massacre occurred on November 12, 1956, during Israel's occupation of the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Protectorate following the Suez Crisis. The town of Rafah, lying on the Egypt–Gaza border, had been one of two invasion points during the initial incursion by the Israel Defense Forces into the Strip on November 1. As with the earlier Khan Yunis massacre, circumstances surrounding the events which led to the deaths of approximately 111 residents of Rafah and the nearby refugee camp are highly disputed, with Israel neither denying nor acknowledging any wrongdoing, while admitting that a number of refugees were killed during a screening operation. Refugees, it is also claimed, continued to resist the occupying army.The Palestinian version maintains that all resistance had ceased when the killings took place. According to survivor testimonies, IDF soldiers rounded up male individuals over fifteen years of age throughout the Gaza Strip in an effort to root out members of the Palestinian fedayeen and the Palestinian Brigade of the Egyptian army. Israel proclaimed that the civilian population would be held collectively responsible for any attacks on Israeli soldiers during the occupation, which lasted from 1 November 1956 to 7 March 1957. Dozens of summary executions took place of Palestinians who had been taken prisoner, and hundreds of civilians were killed as Israeli forces combed through areas like Khan Yunis, and others died in several separate incidents. Calculations of the total number of Palestinians killed by the IDF in this four-month period of Israeli rule vary between 930 and 1,200 people, out of a population of 330,000.
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering humanitarian aid for Gaza after an attack by Hamas militants, leading Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to warn of a powerful operation in Rafah and across all of Gaza, hindering cease-fire efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed low expectations for a cease-fire deal due to Hamas' extreme demands, while Hamas insisted on negotiations to stop Israeli aggression. The conflict escalated with projectiles launched at the Kerem Shalom crossing, resulting in injuries and military strikes by Israel.
On 12 February 2024, Israel Defense Forces launched an assault on Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip, killing over 83 people. The airstrikes destroyed at least one mosque and multiple inhabited homes, killing most or all of their occupants. Israeli government sources linked the airstrikes to its hostage rescue operation, Operation Golden Hand, describing the airstrikes as a diversion or "covering fire." Israel freed two hostages in that operation. The strikes came as Israel proposed a ground invasion of the city, which caused international concern. The killings are known in Gaza as "the Super Bowl Massacre."Casualties from the Israeli bombings began to reported by 2:30am and 20 were confirmed dead by 5:30am. The total number of deaths was estimated as at least 94 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has estimated the death toll to be over 100. According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which pulled information from Rafah hospitals the dead included at least 27 children and 22 women. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor compiled a list of 83 people killed, of whom 29 were children and another third were women (as identified by their names).
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 World Food Programme warns of a full-blown famine in northern Gaza, rapidly spreading south amidst ongoing conflict. Cindy McCain, WFP's Executive Director, highlights the dire situation with over 30 children having already died from malnutrition. Negotiations for a ceasefire in Cairo are ongoing, with Hamas seeking a comprehensive agreement to end aggression. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects Hamas's demands for withdrawal. The humanitarian crisis is severe, with reports of people in north Gaza resorting to eating grass and animal feed. International organizations fear a prolonged recovery in the devastated region.
An NBC News investigation uncovered that Palestinians were killed in areas of southern Gaza, designated by the Israeli military as safe zones, during deadly airstrikes from January to April. The Israeli military bombarded Rafah, signaling a possible ground invasion. Camera crews documented the aftermath of the strikes, including hits on an evacuation zone and a humanitarian zone. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the accuracy of the map marking safe zones, despite criticisms from aid agencies and Gazans. Human Rights Watch highlighted the impact of civilians following government directives to safe areas where they still faced airstrikes.
Displaced residents of Gaza, weary from ongoing conflict, are hopeful for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to end the seven-month pummeling of the Gaza Strip. Talks have faced deadlock as Hamas seeks a permanent end to the war while Israel only offers a temporary pause. Despite skepticism, families like Abeer al-Namrouti's and Wael el-Nabahin's long to return home, highlighting weariness and a desperate need for relief among Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to continue until objectives are met, warning against showing weakness in negotiations. Brokered talks in Cairo hope to secure hostages' release and discuss a potential ceasefire.
The Biden administration has halted a shipment of US-manufactured ammunition to Israel since the October 7 Hamas terror attack. This decision does not affect other shipments, and it is not linked to a potential Israeli operation in Rafah. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has expressed intentions for a military operation in Rafah despite warnings of civilian casualties. The Biden administration warns of consequences if Israel proceeds without a credible plan to protect civilians. Criticism against Biden's support for Israel has led to protests in American college campuses. The ongoing conflict in Gaza started after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
At least 13 Palestinians, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a gathering in the northern Gaza Strip. The airstrike also led to multiple injuries, with a residential area demolished in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli army intensified bombardment on Gaza following a military operation announcement, amidst ongoing conflict with Hamas. Graphic videos show the aftermath at Al-Maghazi refugee camp, with scenes of chaos, casualties, and families mourning their loved ones
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.
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.
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 Rafah Border Crossing (Arabic: معبر رفح, romanized: Ma`bar Rafaḥ) or Rafah Crossing Point is the sole crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip. It is located on the Egypt–Palestine border. Under a 2007 agreement between Egypt and Israel, Egypt controls the crossing but imports through the Rafah crossing require Israeli approval.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterating opposition to Israel's plans to invade Gaza's Rafah city and stressing the need for sustained humanitarian aid delivery. The U.S. opposes the invasion on humanitarian grounds, while Qatar urges Hamas and Israel to show commitment in negotiations. Qatar, along with the U.S. and Egypt, played a crucial role in a previous ceasefire deal. An Israeli delegation is expected in Egypt for negotiations, and a Hamas delegation will also go to Cairo.
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.
Yemen's Houthi group, aligned with Iran, plans to target ships bound for Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea in solidarity with Palestinians and against Israeli attacks on Gaza. The group's military spokesperson announced this decision which has led to shipping reroutes around southern Africa, causing concerns of regional destabilization. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's threat of a ground offensive in Gaza has sparked international outcry, amidst ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas with significant disagreements. The Houthi spokesperson cited the inability to reach a permanent ceasefire as another reason for targeting Israeli-bound ships.
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.
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the release of hostages in Gaza during a phone call, focusing on talks to release hostages held by Hamas. They also talked about humanitarian assistance and increasing delivery into Gaza, as well as the need for progress to be sustained. The US has emphasized the importance of an actionable plan by Israel to protect civilians in Rafah before any potential invasion. Efforts are ongoing to reach an agreement including a temporary ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.
An Israeli airstrike in the town of Mays al Jabal in south Lebanon killed four civilians and wounded several others. The strike targeted military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, leading to retaliatory rocket attacks. Tensions have escalated over seven months of clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, with Israel considering Hezbollah its most serious threat. Western diplomats have tried to broker a de-escalation, but Hezbollah maintains attacks will stop only with a ceasefire in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in casualties on both sides and displacement of tens of thousands of people.
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.
Israeli forces engaged in a 12-hour counterterrorism operation in Deir al-Ghusun, resulting in the death of 5 Palestinians, with 4 from Hamas' armed wing. The operation involved the use of live ammunition and missiles, and a member of Israel's border police was wounded. Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the Israel-Hamas war started in October, with at least 496 Palestinians killed in the territory. The Gaza war began with a Hamas attack on Israel, leading to over 1,170 deaths in Israel and 34,654 in Gaza.
British troops are aiding in the construction of an offshore pier to increase aid delivery to Gaza, but there is no approval for their direct involvement on the ground. The Israeli offensive has led to significant casualties and displacement in Gaza. The UK is collaborating with the US and international allies to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza. US President Biden has stated that no US troops will be deployed on the ground in Gaza.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, pleads for Israel and Hamas to reach a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Hersh, kidnapped at the Nova festival, was recently seen in a video displaying medical issues and urging his family to campaign for his release. Israeli tallies report 1,200 deaths and 253 hostages, with more than 360 killed at the festival. Negotiations aim to release hostages, including Hersh, with concerns over his medical well-being. Israel and Hamas are expected to respond to ceasefire proposals while tensions rise, and displaced Palestinians seek shelter in 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.
"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.
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.
The governance of the Gaza Strip since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 has been carried out by Hamas. The Hamas government in Gaza was led by Ismail Haniyeh from 2007 until February 2017, when Haniyeh was replaced as leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip by Yahya Sinwar. As of November 2023, Yahya Sinwar continues to be the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas control of the northern part of the Gaza Strip came to an end in January 2024, according to Israeli government statements.After Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections on 25 January 2006, Ismail Haniyeh was nominated Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, establishing a Palestinian national unity government with Fatah. This government effectively collapsed with the outbreak of the violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah. After the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas on 14 June 2007, Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led government and appointed Salam Fayyad Prime Minister. Though the new Ramallah-based Palestinian government's authority was claimed to extend to both the Palestinian territories, in effect it became limited to the West Bank, as Hamas did not recognize the dismissal and continued to rule the Gaza Strip. Both administrations – Abbas' Fatah government in Ramallah and the Hamas government in Gaza – regarded themselves as the sole legitimate government of the Palestinian National Authority. The international community, however, recognized the Ramallah administration as the legitimate government.Since the division between the two parties, there have been conflicts between Hamas and similar factions operating in Gaza, and with Israel, including the Gaza War of 2008–2009, the 2014 Gaza War and most notably the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. The radicalization of the Gaza Strip had previously motivated internal conflicts between different groups, in events like 2009 Hamas crackdown on Jund Ansar Allah, an al-Qaeda affiliated group, resulting in 22 people killed; and the April 2011 Hamas crackdown on Jahafil Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad fi Filastin, a Salafist group involved in Vittorio Arrigoni's murder.Negotiations toward reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, which were mediated by Egypt, produced a preliminary agreement in 2011, which was supposed to be implemented by May 2012 through joint elections. Despite the peace plan, Palestinian sources were quoted in January 2012 as saying that the May joint elections "would not be possible". In February 2012, Hamas' Khaled Meshal and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signed the Hamas–Fatah Doha agreement. A unity government was sworn on 2 June 2014. The government was supposed to exercise its functions in Gaza and the West Bank, and prepare for national elections, though that did not happen, with disagreements between the two parties. With the failure of the national unity government, the Palestinian National Authority continued to exercise power only in the West Bank, while Hamas remained in power in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel would not agree to a deal forcing an end to its operation against Hamas in Gaza. Secretary Blinken, visiting Israel, urged Hamas to accept a cease-fire proposal and pressed Israel to do more for Gaza's civilians amidst US efforts to support an eventual Palestinian state for regional stability. The US also deployed military assets like a floating pier off the Gaza shore amid the escalating tensions.
At least 14 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarm. The Israeli army reported killing 10 militants, while Palestinian sources noted civilian casualties and injuries. The raid caused infrastructure damage, with reports of power outages and food shortages in the camp. Violence has been escalating in the West Bank since the Israel-Gaza war started on October 7. The conflict has resulted in over 480 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank, with clashes also occurring between settlers and Palestinians.
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.
The Israel–Hamas war sparked protests, demonstrations, and vigils around the world. These events focused on a variety of issues related to the conflict, including demands for a ceasefire, an end to the blockade, returning Israeli hostages, protesting war crimes, and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Protests against Israeli action in Gaza were notably large across the Middle East and North Africa, particularly following the al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. Since the war began on 7 October, the number of dead has exceeded 20,000.Some of the pro-Palestinian protests have resulted in violence and accusations of anti-semitism, and consequentially in some European countries, some public support for Palestine and the Palestinian cause was criminalized, with countries such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Hungary restricting pro-Palestinian political speech. Germany banned fundraising, the displaying of the Palestinian flag and the wearing of the keffiyeh. The conflict also sparked large protests at Israeli and U.S. embassies around the world.Research by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project indicated that from 7 October to 24 November, there were at least 7,283 pro-Palestinian protests and 845 pro-Israel protests around the world.
The Israeli military launched strikes hitting around 40 targets in the Aita al-Shaab area of southern Lebanon, claiming to have killed half of Hezbollah's commanders in southern Lebanon, a claim refuted by Hezbollah. Hezbollah fired rockets at an Israeli border village in response, with tensions escalating since the Hezbollah drone attack on Israeli military bases. Over 250 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since October, with civilian casualties on both sides. The violence has been concentrated near the Israeli-Lebanese border, with sporadic strikes reaching deeper into Lebanon.
Palestinian students and children in the Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza, expressed gratitude to student protesters at Columbia University in a display, thanking them for their solidarity. Signs with messages like 'Students of Columbia University continue to stand by us' were displayed near a school serving as a shelter for displaced Gazans. The camp hosts over 1.3 million displaced Palestinians, facing the threat of an Israeli ground invasion. The children's messages on tents highlighted the impact of war on their lives and education, calling attention to the war crimes committed.
Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين, romanized: Filasṭīn), officially the State of Palestine (دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn), is a state in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Founded on 15 November 1988 and officially governed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), it claims the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip as its territory, all of which have been Israeli-occupied territories since the 1967 Six-Day War. The West Bank contains 165 Palestinian enclaves that are under partial Palestinian rule, but the remainder, including 200 Israeli settlements, is under full Israeli control. The Gaza Strip was governed by Egypt but conquered by Israel in 1967. Israel governed the region until it withdrew in 2005. The United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and various human-rights organizations still consider Gaza to be held under Israeli military occupation – due to what they regard as Israel's effective military control over the territory – as well as under blockade by Israel and Egypt. Israel disputes this. Hamas seized power after winning the 2006 Palestinian legislative election.After World War II, in 1947, the United Nations (UN) adopted a Partition Plan for Mandatory Palestine, which recommended the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states and an internationalized Jerusalem. Immediately after the United Nations General Assembly adopted the plan as Resolution 181, a civil war broke out in Palestine, and the plan was not implemented. The day after the establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948, neighboring Arab countries invaded the former British Mandate and engaged Israeli forces in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Later, the All-Palestine Government was established by the Arab League on 22 September 1948 to govern the All-Palestine Protectorate in the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. It was soon recognized by all Arab League members except Transjordan, which had occupied and later annexed the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Palestine is currently recognized by 138 of the 193 United Nations (UN) member states. Though jurisdiction of the All-Palestine Government was declared to cover the whole of the former Mandatory Palestine, its effective jurisdiction was limited to the Gaza Strip. During the Six-Day War in June 1967, Israel captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.On 15 November 1988 in Algiers, Yasser Arafat, as Chairman of the PLO, issued the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, which established the State of Palestine. A year after the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was formed to govern (in varying degrees) areas A and B in the West Bank, comprising 165 enclaves, and the Gaza Strip. After Hamas became the PNA parliament's leading party in the most recent elections (2006), a conflict broke out between it and the Fatah party, leading to the Gaza Strip being taken over by Hamas in 2007 (two years after the Israeli disengagement).The State of Palestine's mid-year population in 2021 was 5,227,193. Although Palestine claims Jerusalem as its capital, the city is under the control of Israel; both Palestinian and Israeli claims to the city are mostly unrecognized by the international community. Palestine is a member of the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the G77, the International Olympic Committee, as well as UNESCO, UNCTAD and the International Criminal Court. Following a failed attempt in 2011 to secure full United Nations member state status, the United Nations General Assembly voted in 2012 to recognize Palestine as a non-member observer state. On 26 February 2024, the Palestinian government collapsed, with the entire Palestinian government resigning, including the prime minister.
Israel's government has decided to close Al Jazeera in the country, accusing it of being a mouthpiece for Hamas. Police raided the broadcaster's office in Jerusalem, seizing equipment. Al Jazeera condemned the move as a threat to security, asserting its right to pursue legal action. Despite the closure, the channel remains accessible through Facebook in Israel. Criticisms of Al Jazeera's alleged bias have grown since recent Hamas attacks. Israel has restricted foreign journalists from Gaza, where Al Jazeera staff provide on-the-ground reporting. A recent law empowers Israel to shut down foreign broadcasters during conflicts.
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.
After two days of negotiations in Cairo involving Hamas, Egypt, Qatar, and the US, no agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas despite initial optimism. Israel proposed a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, but Hamas seeks a permanent ceasefire while Israel aims for Hamas's total destruction. The fundamental flaw lies in the conflicting end goals of both parties, making a short-term agreement unlikely without a resolution for long-term peace.
Israel's Defence Forces conducted a precision airstrike in south Lebanon, killing Hezbollah commander Hussein Ali Azqul, involved in planning and executing terrorist attacks against Israel. Hezbollah confirmed Azqul's death, stating he was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Following Azqul's assassination, Hezbollah launched an attack on an Israeli base near Acre, marking its deepest incursion into Israel since the Gaza war began. The Israeli military intercepted two 'aerial targets' off Israel's northern coast, denying any knowledge of its facilities being hit by Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he cannot accept Hamas demands to end the war in Gaza, with discussions revolving around a new framework from Cairo. Hamas seeks Israeli withdrawal and cessation of hostilities permanently, while Netanyahu accused Hamas of making unacceptable demands like full Israeli retreat from Gaza. Despite some optimism from Egyptian officials on progress, the latest comments show significant differences between the two sides.
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Red Sea to the south, Egypt to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest. Tel Aviv is the financial, economic, and technological center of the country, while its seat of government is in its proclaimed capital of Jerusalem, although Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem is unrecognized internationally.Israel is located in the Southern Levant, a region known historically as Canaan, Palestine, or the Holy Land. In antiquity, it was home to several Canaanite, Israelite and Jewish kingdoms, and is referred to as the Land of Israel in Jewish tradition. The region was ruled by powers such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Achaemenids, Greeks, and Romans. During Roman rule, Jews became a minority in Palestine. The region later came under Byzantine and Arab rule. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Islamic Caliphates, the Crusader Kingdom, and the Ottoman Empire. The late 19th century saw the rise of Zionism, a movement advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland. Under the British Mandate placed by the League of Nations after World War I, Jewish immigration to the region increased considerably leading to intercommunal conflict between Jews and the Arab majority. The 1947 UN partition plan triggered a civil war between these groups which would see the expulsion or fleeing of most Palestinians from Mandatory Palestine. The British terminated the Mandate on 14 May 1948, and Israel declared independence on the same day.On 15 May 1948, the armies of five neighboring Arab states invaded the area of the former Mandatory Palestine, starting the First Arab–Israeli War. An armistice in 1949 left Israel in control of more territory than the UN partition plan had called for; no new Arab state was created, as the rest of the former Mandate territory was divided between Egypt, which occupied the Gaza Strip, and Jordan, which annexed the West Bank. The 1967 Six-Day War ended with Israel occupying both the West Bank and Gaza alongside the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and the Syrian Golan Heights. Israel has since effectively annexed both East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and has established settlements across the occupied territories, actions which are deemed illegal under international law. Since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt, returning the Sinai Peninsula, and with Jordan, and more recently normalized relations with several Arab countries. However, efforts to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have not succeeded. Israel's practices, in the longest military occupation in modern history, have drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians.The country has a parliamentary system elected by proportional representation. The prime minister serves as head of government, and is elected by the Knesset, Israel's unicameral legislature. Israel has the highest Human Development Index of all countries in the Middle East and is one of the richest countries in the Middle East and Asia, and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member since 2010. It has the highest standards of living in the Middle East, and has been ranked as one of the most advanced and technological countries, with a population of nearly 10 million people, as of 2023. It has the world's 29th-largest economy by nominal GDP and 16th by nominal GDP per capita.
Iran has grounded commercial flights in parts of the country following reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, leading to the activation of its air defence systems. Tensions in the Middle East are heightened after Iran's recent missile and drone attack on Israel. The Israeli military has not yet responded. Iranian state TV confirmed the firing of air defences across several provinces but did not provide details on the cause. The incident has not resulted in casualties, and there has been no official response from Iran.
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.
Misinformation in the Israel–Hamas war refers to the dissemination of false, misleading or unsubstantiated information during the Israel-Hamas war. Much of the content has been viral in nature, with tens of millions of posts in circulation on social media. A variety of sources, including government officials, media outlets, and social media influencers across different countries, have contributed to the spread of these inaccuracies.
In May 2017 Palestinian political and military organization Hamas unveiled A Document of General Principles and Policies (وثيقة المبادئ والسياسات العامة لحركة حماس), often referred to as the new or revised Hamas charter. It advocated for a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders, describing this as a "formula of national consensus", but did not explicitly recognize Israel. The new charter holds that armed resistance against an occupying power is justified under international law.While the 1988 Hamas Charter had been widely criticized for its antisemitism, the 2017 document stated that Hamas' fight was not with Jews as such because of their religion but with the Zionist project. However, Hamas fell short of repudiating the original, 1988 charter, saying it was a document of its time and the new document represented Hamas's position for now.Views on the 2017 document varied. While some welcomed it as a sign of pragmatism and increased political maturity, and a potential step on the way to peace, many others dismissed it as a merely cosmetic effort designed to make Hamas sound more palatable while changing nothing about Hamas' underlying aims and methods.
Students in the United States protesting against Israel's actions in Gaza face detention, suspension, and other punishments, prompting condemnation from US President Joe Biden. The movement, led by student activists demanding divestment from Israel, has been met with military-style crackdowns. An MIT professor commends the students for putting morality, justice, and liberation into practice, aiming for a future of love and peace. Recent events include police clearing a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California and peaceful Palestinian flag displays at Northeastern University's commencement in Boston.
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.
Dr. Adnan al-Barash, head of orthopaedics at Gazas al-Shifa Hospital, died in an Israeli jail after more than four months of detention. He was detained by Israeli forces while treating patients at al-Awda Hospital. His death was attributed to torture, with allegations of systematic targeting of doctors and the health system in Gaza. The total number of medical personnel killed since Israels war on Gaza in October has reached 496. Concerns over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody persist, with calls for international intervention.
Israeli authorities raided Al Jazeera's office in Jerusalem and shut down its local operations, citing national security threats during the Gaza conflict. Al Jazeera condemned the closure, calling it a "criminal action" and a suppression of free press. Qatar, Al Jazeera's owner, is mediating a ceasefire in Gaza. The ban follows a law allowing temporary closure of foreign broadcasters. The ban is challenged by civil rights groups in Israel. The closure could affect ceasefire negotiations as Hamas and Israel engage in strikes and talks with Egypt.
Hamas released a hostage video showing American-Israeli man, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kidnapped in October 2023. This is the first public appearance of Goldberg-Polin since the attack. In the video, he describes the dangers he faced during the attack and criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Goldberg-Polin also alleges that other hostages were killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., condemns anti-Israel protests on college campuses, stating they hinder peace efforts in the Middle East and questions why protesters are not demanding Hamas accept the recent cease-fire deal. Fetterman emphasizes that the focus should be on demanding Hamas' compliance for a peaceful resolution, attributing the current situation to Hamas' actions. He believes the conflict could end if Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages held during the recent attack on Israel.
Prof Ghassan Abu-Sitta, a surgeon with experience in Gaza, was denied entry to France to speak at the French Senate about the Israel-Hamas war. Germany imposed a Schengen-wide ban on him, leading to his deportation from France. This ban is seen as an attempt to silence witness testimony on the consequences of Israel's military actions in Gaza. Abu-Sitta has provided evidence to Scotland Yard and the ICC, and is planning to challenge the entry ban in German courts. The incident highlights concerns about attempts to discredit medical witnesses discussing the Gaza conflict.
Palestinians (Arabic: الفلسطينيون, al-Filasṭīniyyūn; Hebrew: פָלַסְטִינִים, Fālasṭīnīm) or Palestinian people (الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha‘b al-Filasṭīnī), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs (العرب الفلسطينيون, al-ʿArab al-Filasṭīniyyūn), are an ethnonational group descending from peoples who have inhabited the region of Palestine over the millennia, and who today are culturally and linguistically Arab.Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one half of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the territory of former Mandatory Palestine, now encompassing Israel and the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In Israel proper, Palestinians constitute almost 21 percent of the population as part of its Arab citizens. Many are Palestinian refugees or internally displaced Palestinians, including more than a million in the Gaza Strip, around 750,000 in the West Bank, and around 250,000 in Israel proper. Of the Palestinian population who live abroad, known as the Palestinian diaspora, more than half are stateless, lacking legal citizenship in any country. 2.1 million of the diaspora population are registered as refugees in neighboring Jordan, most of whom hold Jordanian citizenship; over 1 million live between Syria and Lebanon, and about 750,000 live in Saudi Arabia, with Chile holding the largest Palestinian diaspora concentration (around half a million) outside of the Arab world.In 1919, Palestinian Muslims and Palestinian Christians constituted 90 percent of the population of Palestine, just before the third wave of Jewish immigration and the setting up of British Mandatory Palestine after World War I. Opposition to Jewish immigration spurred the consolidation of a unified national identity, though Palestinian society was still fragmented by regional, class, religious, and family differences. The history of the Palestinian national identity is a disputed issue amongst scholars. For some, the term "Palestinian" is used to refer to the nationalist concept of a Palestinian people by Palestinian Arabs from the late 19th century and in the pre-World War I period, while others assert the Palestinian identity encompasses the heritage of all eras from biblical times up to the Ottoman period. After the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the 1948 Palestinian expulsion, and more so after the 1967 Palestinian exodus, the term "Palestinian" evolved into a sense of a shared future in the form of aspirations for a Palestinian state.Founded in 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization is an umbrella organization for groups that represent the Palestinian people before international states. The Palestinian National Authority, officially established in 1994 as a result of the Oslo Accords, is an interim administrative body nominally responsible for governance in Palestinian population centres in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since 1978, the United Nations has observed an annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. According to British historian Perry Anderson, it is estimated that half of the population in the Palestinian territories are refugees, and that they have collectively suffered approximately US$300 billion in property losses due to Israeli confiscations, at 2008–2009 prices.
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.
Rawan Antar, 21, center, chants in support of Palestinians during the University of Michigans Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Katy Kildee/Detroit News via AP) Rawan Antar, 21, center, chants in support of Palestinians during the University of Michigans Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Katy Kildee/Detroit News via AP) A plane bearing a banner that reads ""We stand with Israel jewishlivesmatter.
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