By: Sian Morgan
In the wake of a surprise attack, the Israel-Hamas war has spiralled into a tempest of violence, leaving a trail of crying children in bomb shelters, homes in ruins and a death-toll that has surpassed the 3,000 mark on both sides. Yet this ongoing war shows no signs of subsiding since the initial attack a little over a week ago, intensifying fears of a wider and more protracted conflict.
The conflict commenced unexpectedly on Oct. 7 with a meticulously coordinated assault on Israel by Hamas militants. They launched an overwhelming barrage of more than 3,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Simultaneously, approximately 2,500 militants breached the Gaza-Israel barrier, launching attacks on Israeli military installations and civilian areas. This resulted in a significant loss, with over 1,400 Israelis losing their lives, among which were 260 individuals recovered from the site of a music festival as reported by the Israeli rescue service Zaka. Amidst the chaos, unarmed civilian hostages and captured Israeli soldiers, including women and children, were taken to the Gaza Strip.
Hamas stated that their attacks were a response to various grievances, including the ongoing Israeli settlements, settler violence, desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and attacks on women. Tensions between Palestinians and Israelis have festered for decades, and this conflict was the culmination of a long-standing, deeply rooted conflict. Hamas had been preparing for this major offensive, known as "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," while avoiding major engagements with Israel in the preceding year.
The attacks were unprecedented in tactics and scale by Hamas, posing a significant threat for Israel – they haven’t faced such a threat on their own territory since 1948. Thus, in direct response on the same day of the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel stated “Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation, not a round [of fighting,] at war!”
With this declaration, Israel launched efforts to strike what it says are Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza in order to also take back hostages and eliminate threats, decimating the Gaza Strip. As a result of these air raids, at least 2,808 Palestinians civilians have been killed as of Oct. 16, and nearly half of Gaza’s population has been internally displaced as reported by the United Nations.
Subsequently, on Friday Oct. 13. Israeli's military told the 1.1 million people in northern Gaza to evacuate their homes immediately in preparation for a ground invasion. Yet, citizens are still stuck due to the enforced blockade and the only crossing point between Egypt and Gaza being shut down. Even those who have attempted to flee, cramming into trucks and gathering blankets and possessions, have, at times, found their efforts thwarted, with reports of evacuation routes being bombed. Furthermore, Israel has cut off supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine in an attempt to punish the Hama militants, which has had major consequences – hospitals are expected to run out of fuel and the World Health Organisation warned that there is only 24 hours of water supply left. Despite this escalating humanitarian crisis, Hamas has called Gazans not to leave their homes, stating that “displacement and exile are not for us.”
With the situation within Gaza only increasing in severity, the conflict’s repercussions have rippled from the Middle East and beyond. At least 44 countries have denounced Hamas and labelled its conduct as terrorism. On a visit to Israel, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured Israel and Arab leaders that “we have your back”, after they deployed two air carrier battle groups to the Eastern Mediterranean. President Joe Biden is also set to visit Israel on October 18th.
In contrast, many countries across the Middle East have called for de-escalation and criticised Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories as the root of the conflict. One of these countries includes Iran, who threatened intervention if the Israel defence Forces launched a ground invasion against Gaza. In addition, there were also exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces after some were killed, including a Reuters journalist, near the Lebanese border.
So as the world watches, the profound repercussions of this crisis reach far beyond the borders of Gaza, resonating in diplomatic dialogues and international responses. The looming threat of an extended and more far-reaching conflict remains unabated. The future remains uncertain with strikes and tensions rapidly increasing. While we pause to reflect, we're left to ponder: in the face of such adversity, can lasting peace ever truly be achieved in this complex and tumultuous region?
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