The ongoing conflict began when Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday, October 7. After that, Israel bombed the Gaza Strip and announced its invasion. They requested the evacuation of more than a million people from northern Gaza to southern Gaza. The United Nations believes that this may constitute a violation of international law.
- More than 5,000 people have been killed and more than 15,000 injured in the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
- In Israel, the death toll reaches at least 1,400 people.
- In addition, Israel says 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in fighting inside Israel.
These are the parties to the conflict:
Israel. The State of Israel was founded in 1948 on the land where most Palestinians live, but where Jews also live. At the same time, between 500,000 and 1 million Palestinians were displaced, including to what eventually became the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Palestine. Palestine consists of the areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine is recognized as a separate state by the United Nations, but not by countries such as the United States, Israel and Norway.
Western Bank. The West Bank is one of the two Palestinian regions. It has been under partial Israeli military occupation since the Six-Day War of 1967. It is also partly under the control of the Palestinian Authority, the PLO/Fatah.
Gaza strip. The second of the two Palestinian regions. The Gaza Strip is under Hamas control. When Hamas won the elections in 2006, Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip.
Palestine’s libiration organisation. The Palestine Liberation Organization was founded in 1964. The PLO was headed by Yasser Arafat from 1969 to 2004.
to open. Fatah is the largest political party in the Palestine Liberation Organization and is currently the ruling party in the West Bank. The party is headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the Palestine Liberation Organization.
agitation. Hamas is a Palestinian armed and political organization that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006. Hamas was founded in 1987 and has been behind a number of terrorist acts. It consists of, among other things, the paramilitary Al-Qassam Brigades.
Hizb allah. Hezbollah is a Lebanese and Shiite armed and political group based in Lebanon. They are supported by Iran.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad. An armed and political group, among others, based in the Gaza Strip.
Oslo agreement. Two agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization were concluded in 1993 and 1995. The agreements meant that Israel and the PLO recognized each other and that the PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist. The Oslo Accords formalized what was to become a temporary Israeli military occupation of the West Bank. Israel did not take steps to end the occupation.
The settlers. Israeli settlers are people living in cities, settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank. The international community considers Israeli settlements a violation of international law.
In this case, you can read more about the ongoing conflict.
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