The most seen news for the past month is the war between Israel and Hamas. The war has had a major impact on people worldwide and is still in full effect.
Many people are unaware of the historical background concerning Israel. On May 14, 1948, Israel was established as its own independent country. The country borders Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. However, Palestine does not have its own “country.” Palestine has land in the Gaza strip and the West Bank which are both located within Israel. These groups, however, have had major conflict for many millennia.
On October 7, the terrorist group Hamas attacked a music festival in Israel, killing 1,400 people, along with kidnapping 240. Soon after, Israel waged war against Hamas, marking the first war on Israeli land since 1948. The people who were kidnapped consisted of many different nationalities and cultures, including Jewish, Palestinian, American and Egyptian. It wasn’t until recently that these hostages were released.
On October 16, Hamas released a statement saying that all non-Israeli hostages were “guests” within Gaza. On November 1, Hamas, Israel, and Egypt came to an agreement to release at least 50 hostages a day over the Egyptian border. This agreement was groundbreaking due to Israel’s current lockdown on the Gaza strip. Gaza is currently cut off from all forms of humanitarian aid, including food, water, medical supplies, gas and much more.
As Israel continues to fight against Hamas, the aftermath in Gaza is irreversible. 10,000 people, including 4,100 children, have died due to the attacks. Despite the United Nations’ (UN) call for peace, Israel continues their siege.
Current Events teacher Dr. Judd Starling shares his thoughts on the matter.
“I don’t see an immediate diplomatic solution. This war is going to cause a lot of political tension and eventually the UN is going to have to make a decision.”
According to US News World Report, the United States is allied with Israel and is funding almost 260 billion dollars towards their war efforts. Despite the controversy and funding surrounding the war, there is still no show of an end in sight.
