What's happened
As the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack approaches, Israel faces an ongoing multi-front war with significant casualties. The conflict has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and a deepening existential crisis within Israel, raising questions about the future of the region and the effectiveness of current leadership.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Independent highlights the grim outlook in Washington regarding the conflict, noting that the Biden administration's efforts for a ceasefire seem futile until a new president is in office. The Guardian provides a personal perspective from Tel Aviv, illustrating the stark contrast between daily life and the ongoing war, while also addressing the societal divisions exacerbated by the hostage crisis. The New York Times emphasizes the existential crisis facing Israel, with many citizens contemplating emigration due to the ongoing violence and instability. Meanwhile, The Guardian's Observer editorial calls for a two-state solution as the only viable path to peace, reflecting on the humanitarian toll of the conflict. The Scotsman underscores the severity of the situation, detailing the atrocities committed during the initial Hamas attack and the subsequent Israeli response, which has led to widespread civilian casualties in Gaza. Lastly, SBS reports on global protests against the violence, indicating a growing international outcry for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief.
How we got here
The conflict escalated dramatically on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking hostages. In response, Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza, leading to widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis.
More on these topics
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Gaza may refer to:
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Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.
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Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei is a Twelver Shia Marja' and the second and current supreme leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989.