Today marks a year since Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, attacked Israel by surprise. Many believe that this gave birth to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict but, actually, the conflict was birthed many years ago. The back and forth that has been going on was just the awakening of a dormant beast and the October 7 attack was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Years of oppression give birth to aggression, that is why the conflict has been so loud the world is hearing it. Here is a walkthrough of the facts that led to October 7 and what awaits the Middle East, and possibly the world.
It All Started in the 1940s
During that time, there was global pressure to establish a place for the Jewish community for two reasons. Firstly, the Holocaust that took place in World War II, which led to the execution of six million Jews, left Europe wanting to atone for Adolf Hitler’s sins. Secondly, there’s the Balfour Declaration made in 1917 between the British and the Jews, promising them a land (Palestine) to live in. With these things in mind, the United Nations came up with a proposed solution which was the UN Partition Plan or the Two-State Solution. This solution comprised areas for the Jews (56% of the area), and areas for the Palestinians, and Jerusalem was to be governed by a special international entity.
This suggestion was objected to by Palestinians and Arabs because that was originally their place of residence, and they didn’t understand why they had to pay for Europe’s sins. However, driven by Zionist militia, they violently attacked Palestinians before, during, and after the 1948 war, known as the “Nakba,” which means catastrophe in Arabic. This led to the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians from their homes and eventually, Israel declared its independence on 14 May 1948.
In December of 1948, the UN General Assembly recognized that the displaced Palestinian people “who want to return to their homes and live in peace with their neighbors should be given the right to do so as soon as possible.” Israel was not on board with that, though, as they saw it as a threat to their exclusively Jewish nature. A year later, the chamber established the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees to provide more support to those displaced.
The Conflict Hasn’t Ended Here
With many years of back and forth between Palestinians and Israel and many failed attempts to establish peace in between, the conflict remained ongoing, and it gave birth to Hamas. Hamas tried to retaliate whenever Israel made an attack, but Israel always managed to leave destruction in its wake, leaving countless civilians dead and displaced. The UN declared that Israel had committed war crimes, such as using white phosphorus, condemned their actions, and tried to call for a ceasefire multiple times but to no avail. Before the October 7 attack, there was the Sheikh Jarrah conflict.
What Happened in Sheikh Jarrah
In 2021, Israel threatened to evict families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Jerusalem is of utmost importance and has holy significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. The Israeli police imposed restrictions on Muslims around Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan. This led to Hamas firing rockets at Jerusalem, and in turn, Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza. Israel claimed that the attacks were meant to “target Hamas and its infrastructure,” but in reality, there were 200 civilian casualties in the process that had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict.
The Hamas Attack on October 7, 2023
On October 7, Hamas militants blew holes in Israel’s security fence and took Israel by surprise, attacking nearby army bases and farming communities, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Ever since then, Israel attacked Gaza, the West Bank, and Rafah at full force. Based on the Associated Press report, Israel killed over 41,000 Palestinians, injured over 96,000, and fired over 9,500 rockets ever since the October 7 attack. In addition, over 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced from Gaza, which equals about 90% of them. These attacks left them without food, water, and electricity, leaving the remaining Palestinians in inhumane conditions.
Hamas and Hezbollah vs. Israel
On the October 7 anniversary, Hezbollah, the Hamas ally, fired rockets at Haifa, Israel’s third largest city, and Hamas targeted Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial capital, with a missile salvo, which led to sirens blowing in Tel Aviv. Israel is currently attacking both Gaza and Lebanon due to the hostilities between them and Hamas and Hezbollah. The United States wants to establish peace in the Middle East and call for a ceasefire. However, Israel refuses and is still continuing its attacks.
Conclusion
Many prominent figures condemn these attacks, such as Pope Francis. The unstable conditions in the Middle East are worrisome as there are fears that a third World War might take place, especially with Iran now being involved due to the attacks on Hezbollah. Many countries and parties are getting involved now that things have escalated drastically. Will the world be able to establish a peace treaty somehow? Or will the chaos keep on unfurling?
