Conflict is one of the most consistent occurrences in the history of humankind. People fight over almost everything. It could be territory, resources, political power, religion, and the list goes on. Sadly, violence seems to be the only answer. Currently, Palestine is playing host to warfare between the terrorist group Hamas and the people of Israel.
To understand the events of this dispute, one has to know why it all happened in the first place. I have concluded that because of the ceaseless disagreement between the two, it is unlikely that war in the Middle East will subside. As a religious person who knows that the Middle East is a very important part of many faiths, I believe that the territories that make up the Middle East have an important place in their culture and they will be fighting for the ownership of those lands for years to come. According to the Office of the Historian, in 1948, when Israel became an official state, the fighting began and hasn’t come to a complete stop, it’s only escalated. An article published by CBS News said,“[Hamas] … was motivated to launch the attack essentially as the culmination of long-building anger over Israeli policy, including recent outbreaks of violence…” Since the terrorist group took over, there have been frequent protests and bombings. These events have set the stage for current incidents.
This history of turmoil can lead smoothly into the occurrences of 2023. According to a U.S. News article, in October of this year, Hamas, an acronym for a series of Arabic words that translate to Islamic Resistance Movement, launched a ground and rocket attack on multiple surrounding cities from a slice of land called the Gaza Strip. The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,300 people and the capture of 200 hostages. In November, the government used a section of Gaza as an evacuation point to provide a way to escape for civilians who are living in the war zone.
The Dar Al-Shifa hospital has become a haven for those who have been impacted by the constant strafing of Gaza. Unfortunately, the hospital’s condition is in rapid decline. According to an article from The Guardian published in early November, the hospital has suffered from power shortages resulting in the deaths of many patients. The government has attempted to create an exit from the hospital, but Hamas has surrounded the area with heavy artillery, making it very difficult to escape. One of the biggest issues is the lack of provisions that have led to the deaths of medical personnel.
Since this is an ongoing event, it’s only possible to cover key points that have occurred so far. For more updates, go to any credible news source such as the New York Times or the Washington Post. Long story short, the state of the region is in shambles and is only getting worse with many innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
