Palestine

Palestine (فلسطين)

Palestine historically refers to a geographic region in the Eastern Mediterranean between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, encompassing parts of modern-day Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. As the Holy Land, revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, it has been a focal point of contested claims and sustained conflict. The term “Palestine” traces its roots back to “Philistia,” denoting the territory of the Philistines around the 12th century BCE.
The land known as Palestine has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of Neolithic settlements dating back to 10,000 BCE. Historical records include the Canaanites, the earliest known inhabitants, who were in the region by the 3rd millennium BCE. They are considered the area’s indigenous people, establishing city-states and engaging in trade and agriculture.
Over millennia, Palestine saw a succession of powers and peoples due to its strategic location at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe. These include ancient Egyptians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks under Alexander the Great, Romans, Byzantines, various Islamic caliphates, Crusaders, Mamluks, and Ottomans. The modern wave of Jewish immigration to Palestine, associated with the Zionist movement aiming to establish a Jewish homeland in response to European anti-Semitism, began in the late 19th century with the First Aliyah (1881-1903). This marked the beginning of a significant demographic and political transformation in the region, leading to the complex and ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After Britain took control over Palestine in 1918, the region was still predominantly Arabic, but the Jewish Migration accelerated.

The State of Palestine

The State of Palestine, proclaimed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1988, has a population exceeding 5.5 million people. These individuals reside in areas of high population density, particularly in the Gaza Strip and certain parts of the West Bank. The demographic composition of the Palestinian territories reveals a youthful population. According to the UN, 38.18 percent of the population is under the age of 15, and 28.67 percent is between 15 and 29. (UN, 2023)

Since the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel has maintained control over the Palestinian territories, a situation that has deeply affected the political, economic, and social landscape of Palestine. The international community remains divided on the recognition of Palestinian statehood. While 139 of the 193 United Nations (UN) member states acknowledge Palestine as a state, many Western countries, such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, the UK, and the USA, have not extended formal recognition. These countries typically argue that the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state should be the outcome of a peace agreement with Israel, believing that premature recognition could undermine the peace process aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through negotiations.

Palestinian Governance

Palestine is essentially governed by various actors. Two critical actors are Fatah and Hamas. Fatah was established in the late 1950s as a leading secular nationalist movement; it is led by Mahmoud Abbas. It played a central role in the Palestinian struggle for independence and has been a major political force within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Fatah has historically engaged in armed struggle against Israel but has moved towards negotiation and diplomacy as a means to achieve a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Hamas is an Islamist movement that emerged from the Gaza Strip. Hamas was established in 1987, emerging from the Muslim Brotherhood, which was founded in Egypt in 1928. The Brotherhood advocates for integrating Islamic principles into daily life, politics, and society, aiming for Islamic governance and social welfare programs. Hamas’ charter initially called for the establishment of an Islamic state in all of historic Palestine, including the territories of Israel. Its 2017 charter indicates a conditional acceptance of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, including East Jerusalem as its capital. However, it firmly rejects the legitimacy of Israel, reflecting its strong ideological opposition to Zionism. This stance suggests Hamas is open to political solutions for statehood but does not extend recognition to Israel, aligning with a broader Palestinian view that acknowledges Israel’s existence but not the legitimacy of its founding ideology. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by many countries because of its suicide bombings and its violence. Hamas won the 2006 parliamentary elections and, in 2007, violently seized control of the Gaza Strip from the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.

The Wall and Israel’s control

Israel remains in control over a large part of the occupied Palestinian territories.
In June 2002, Israel started building separation walls around the Palestinian territories for security reasons. The barrier includes sections of high concrete walls, especially near urban areas like Jerusalem, and fence-like structures in other areas. It has significantly affected Palestinian communities by cutting off access to farmlands, services, and neighboring communities. Israel also constructed a fortified barrier surrounding the Gaza Strip, consisting of a fence equipped with electronic sensors, watchtowers, and a buffer zone. Israel controls the land crossings into Gaza, restricting the movement of goods and people as part of its blockade, imposed since 2007 following Hamas’s takeover of the territory. Israel also built a wall around the border between Palestine and Egypt. Furthermore, Israelis control access to essential resources like water and electricity in Palestinian territories, just as well as access to the sea and the airspace. The roads in Palestinian territories have checkpoints, and the crossings in and out of Gaza are controlled by the IDF.

Since the six-day war, Jewish settlements have been growing in the West Bank. These settlements range from small outposts to large towns and are located across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. According to the UN, there are 270 settlements housing approximately 750,000 Israeli Jews. (UN, 2023) From the Israeli perspective, some view the settlements as fulfilling historical, religious, or strategic interests, believing in a historical and biblical connection to the land. Others argue for the settlements’ security relevance, suggesting they provide a buffer zone around Jerusalem and along critical areas of the West Bank. For Palestinians, the settlements are seen as an illegal occupation of their land, a direct obstacle to the establishment of a future Palestinian state. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories to violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of an occupying power’s civilian population into the territory it occupies. This practice has led to significant changes in the demographic and geographic landscape of the territories, posing a major obstacle to peace and the Palestinian right to self-determination.

Background of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Zionism

Zionism is the idea that Jewish people should have their own country, and this country should be in the area known as Palestine, where their ancestors lived thousands of years ago. The name ‘Zionism’ comes from the word ‘Zion,’ which historically refers to a hill in Jerusalem. Over time, Zion has come to symbolize the ancient biblical land of Israel. The idea of Zionism came about because, for a long time, Jewish people were mistreated in many countries, facing discrimination and violence. In the late 1800s, a man named Theodor Herzl and others thought that the best solution was for Jewish people to have a safe place to live. In 1897, Herzl organized a big meeting called the First Zionist Congress in Switzerland. They officially started the movement to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This movement grew as more Jewish people supported the idea and moved to Palestine to build communities.

The British Mandate for Palestine

The Zionist movement achieved a significant diplomatic victory with the Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which Britain expressed support for establishing a ‘national home for the Jewish people’ in Palestine. This was later incorporated into the British Mandate for Palestine. The Balfour Declaration was a statement issued by the British government during World War I on November 2, 1917. The declaration expressed the British government’s support for the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. Britain had taken control of Palestine by the end of WWI. During WW I, the Ottoman Empire, which had controlled Palestine for centuries, was allied with the Central Powers against the Allies (including Britain). As the war progressed and it became clear the Ottoman Empire was weakening, the Allies began planning for the post-war division of Ottoman territories. Palestine’s geographical location was strategically significant for the British Empire. It was a land bridge between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula. Britain captured Palestine in 1918. After the British took over Palestine and up until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, it’s estimated that around 320,000 to 370,000 Jews immigrated to Palestine. This estimation covers the period of significant immigration waves, known as the Third to Fifth Aliyahs.

The Jewish minorities often clashed with the majority Arab population and the British occupiers, leading to prolonged instability.

The UN solution and the creation of Israel

Under international pressure and unable to deal with the unrest in Palestine, Britain brought the Palestine question to the UN. The UN solution to the Palestine issue, embodied in Resolution 181 passed in 1947, proposed the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states. Jerusalem was designated as a separate entity under international administration due to its significance to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The resolution also prepared the withdrawal of Brittain. The Jewish Zionists were assigned 56% of the land of the Palestine Mandate.
The Arab states and Palestinian Arabs strongly opposed the partition plan, arguing that it violated the rights of the Arab majority in Palestine. They believed that the plan favored the Jewish minority and was unfair to the Arab population, as they constituted a significant majority in the region. The Arab states viewed the partition as a continuation of European colonialism and a betrayal of the Arab people’s right to self-determination.
On the other hand, the Jewish community in Palestine accepted the partition plan. They saw it as an opportunity to establish a Jewish homeland after centuries of persecution and the horrors of the Holocaust. In 1948, when the British Mandate officially ended, Jewish leaders declared the independence of the State of Israel, citing UN Resolution 181 as a basis for their legitimacy.
The Arab states rejected both the partition plan and the creation of Israel, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the War of Independence in Israel, and the Nakba (catastrophe) among Palestinians. The Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, formed a coalition against Israel, which was motivated by their support for the Palestinian cause, opposition to the U.N. Partition Plan, and the desire to prevent the establishment of a Jewish state in the region. The U.S., the Soviet Union, and France supported Israel, which was successful in expanding its territory to 77 percent of what was under the British Mandate, including a significant portion of Jerusalem. The reasons for the Western powers’ support for Israel were multifaceted. They included cultural and religious affinity, sympathy for the Jewish people and the holocaust, protection against communism, and British colonialism. However, the unfortunate result of this conflict was the displacement of more than half of the Palestinian Arab population, forcing them to flee or be expelled from their homes. Jordan and Egypt took control of the remaining territories assigned to the Arab State by Resolution 181, with Jordan taking the West Bank and Egypt taking the Gaza Strip. the conflict resulted in Israel gaining control over a more significant portion of the territory than initially allocated by the UN partition plan. At the same time, Jordan annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip. The war also led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, creating a massive refugee crisis that persists to this day.

The Conflicts from 1967-1987

In 1967, a significant conflict known as the Six-Day War erupted among Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Triggered by mounting tensions, border conflicts, and Egypt’s obstruction of Israeli shipping through the Straits of Tiran, Israel executed a preemptive assault on Egypt’s air force. This action quickly led to Israel’s acquisition of critical territories: the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank (inclusive of East Jerusalem), and the Golan Heights, from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, respectively. These regions have been pivotal in the enduring conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as in shaping Israel’s diplomatic interactions with neighboring Arab countries. The ongoing occupation of Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), and the Golan Heights remains a critical issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and central to Israel’s foreign relations. United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, calling for Israel’s withdrawal from these occupied lands and the acknowledgment of all states’ right to exist peacefully, continues to be a contentious point in peace talks.

In 1973 the Yom Kippur War broke out, marking a turning point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Egypt and Syria coordinated a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. Although initially taken aback, Israeli forces managed to push back the attacking Arab armies and turn the tide of the war. The war ended with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and the Soviet Union, leaving Israel in control of the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. This war had far-reaching consequences and set the stage for significant developments in the following years.

In 1974, the U.N. General Assembly reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights to self-determination and national independence. A UN resolution also granted the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) observer status at the U.N. The same year, the Arab League recognized the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. This decision strengthened the PLO’s position as the primary representative of Palestinian interests in international forums. Under the mediation of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Israel and Egypt signed the Camp David Accords in 1978, which laid the groundwork for a peace treaty. The accords also called for establishing Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but this provision was not implemented.

In 1979, Israel and Egypt signed a formal peace treaty after the Camp David Accords, making Egypt the first Arab country to officially recognize Israel. As part of the treaty, Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula, which it had occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.

In December 1987, a Palestinian uprising known as the First Intifada began in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The uprising lasted until 1993 and was characterized by mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, and violence, which brought international attention to the Palestinian struggle for self-determination. At the same time, Hamas was formed.

The Oslo Accords

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by Yasser Arafat, and Israel, led by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, signed the Oslo Accords in 1993 to establish a framework for Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The Oslo Accords provided for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and Jericho (in the West Bank) as an initial step towards broader autonomy for the Palestinians. The Israeli military was to withdraw from Gaza City and other populated areas in the Gaza Strip, transferring authority in those areas to the newly established Palestinian Authority (PA). This transfer of control was aimed at enabling Palestinians to gain self-governance. The Accords allowed the Palestinian Authority to assume responsibility for civil life in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel retained control over certain aspects, such as security along the borders, external security, and the security of Israelis and settlements. The Israeli authority also remained in control over air and maritime space and the movement of goods and people into and out of the territory.

The Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three distinct zones: Areas A, B, and C. (see map) Area A contains approximately 18% of the West Bank and includes most Palestinian urban centers like Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Nablus, where the Palestinian Authority (PA) has administrative and security control. Despite this supposed autonomy, Israeli forces frequently conduct operations within Area A, citing security concerns. Area B, making up about 22% of the West Bank, consists of many Palestinian towns and villages where the PA provides civil services such as education and health, but Israel retains overriding security authority. The largest division, Area C, covers roughly 60% of the West Bank’s territory, including all Israeli settlements, the Jordan Valley, and strategic areas vital for Israel. Unlike Areas A and B, Area C is under complete Israeli control, both administratively and for security.

The Oslo Accords were controversial, both for Israeli citizens and for Palestinians. In Israel, the signing of the Oslo Agreements led to the murder of Prime Minister Rabin by an Israelian nationalist in 1995. The period leading up to Rabin’s assassination was marked by intense political division in Israel, with significant opposition to the Oslo Accords from the right-wing factions, including the Likud party (conservative, nationalist, liberal) members, who argued that these agreements compromised Israel’s security and made too many concessions to the Palestinians. Benjamin Netanyahu, then a prominent member of the Likud party and leader of the opposition, was among the vocal critics of Rabin’s peace initiatives. Netanyahu was elected as prime minister in 1996. Some Palestinians opposed the Oslo Accords because they believed the agreements failed to secure concrete gains towards sovereignty or address critical issues such as settlements, Jerusalem, and refugees’ right of return. The division of the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C under Oslo fragmented Palestinian territories, complicating the future establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state and perpetuating economic dependency on Israel. The accords also deepened internal divisions, with factions like Hamas gaining support for rejecting the perceived compromises made by the PLO/Fatah, which they viewed as a betrayal of the Palestinian struggle.

The second Intifada and Hamas’ victory.

The Second Intifada began in 2000 following a provocative visit by then-Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The uprising was marked by violence and unrest, lasting until 2005. In 2002, Israel started building a barrier in the West Bank, known as the separation barrier or security fence. Israel says it’s needed for security to stop Palestinian attackers from getting into Israel. But Palestinians and critics say it acts like a border, takes over Palestinian land, and limits movement, splitting communities and causing problems in daily life.
In 2005, Israel undertook a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, removing settlers and military presence, though it continued to control Gaza’s borders, airspace, and coastal waters, except for the Gaza-Egypt border managed by Egypt. This move led to increased rocket fire into southern Israel from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other militant factions in Gaza.
Following internal disagreements within the Likud Party regarding the withdrawal from Gaza, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, alongside several Likud members and figures from the Labor Party, founded the Kadima Party in November 2005.
In January 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian elections over Fatah. Although Fatah and Hamas initially attempted to form a unity government for both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, this arrangement collapsed in 2007, resulting in Hamas’s control over Gaza after a short military operation against Fatah. Hamas’ control over Gaza prompted a blockade by Israel, Egypt, and Western nations due to security concerns. This divide saw a series of conflicts, including the Gaza War in 2008-2009, which faced global criticism for its humanitarian impact, and Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 aimed at diminishing Hamas’s military threat, ending with a ceasefire facilitated by Egypt. Attempts to revive peace talks in 2013 by the U.S. failed, and in 2014, Operation Protective Edge marked a severe conflict initiated by the killing of three Israeli teens by Hamas, resulting in extensive casualties and raising questions about the peace process and Gaza’s humanitarian state.

Unrest and Conflict
2010-2022

The aftermath of the war left Gaza in ruins, prompting international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis, which were complicated by a continued blockade and deepening political divisions. Peace initiatives stalled mainly during this period as the international community struggled to make progress toward a two-state solution amidst a complex political landscape in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and the broader Middle East, further influenced by shifts in U.S. administration policies.

The situation intensified with the “Knife Intifada” or “Stabbing Intifada” that erupted in late 2015 and extended into 2016, marked by a series of stabbing attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, shootings, and clashes. This wave of violence, driven by tensions over Jerusalem’s holy sites, settlement expansion, and the prolonged occupation, underscored the deep-seated frustrations and lack of progress toward resolving the conflict.

A significant diplomatic development occurred in December 2016 when the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2334, condemning Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories as violations of international law and significant obstacles to peace. This resolution passed with the United States abstaining, a notable deviation from its traditional veto power used to block resolutions critical of Israel.

In December 2017, President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a move that broke with decades of U.S. policy and international consensus on the status of the city. This decision resulted in the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018, sparking widespread protests across Palestinian territories and drawing international condemnation.

In response to these events and the ongoing blockade, Palestinians in Gaza initiated the Great March of Return in March 2018. These protests, held near the Gaza-Israel border, demanded the right of return for Palestinian refugees to their lands and called for an end to the Gaza blockade. The demonstrations, which continued for several months, were marked by violent clashes with Israeli forces, resulting in a significant number of Palestinian casualties and raising humanitarian concerns.

In 2020 Israel signed the Abraham Accords with several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. These agreements increased Israel’s legitimacy and power.

Tensions flared again in May 2021, triggered by the potential eviction of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and violent clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The situation quickly escalated into an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas, marking one of the most severe periods of fighting since the 2014 Gaza war. The conflict resulted in significant loss of life and widespread destruction in Gaza, ending with a ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt.

Timeline of the Current Conflict

Hamas Attack on Israel

8 Oct 2023

Hamas launched a coordinated, surprise attack on Israel, leading to a devastating loss of life and significant destruction. The assault involved a barrage of over 2,200 rockets in just 20 minutes, overwhelming Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. In addition to rocket attacks, at least 1,500 militants infiltrated Israel and took over 250 hostages. The attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, mainly comprising Israeli civilians and including foreign nationals.

Palestinians flee their homes

13 Oct 2023

Israel had given 1.1 million residents of North Gaza 24 hours to leave before a ground offense started. Thousands of Palestinians fled to the South of Gaza, leaving all of their possessions with little access to essentials like food or medical supplies.

Israel‘s invasion of Gaza

27 Oct 2023

After three weeks of heavy air strikes, Israel conducted a ground invasion of Gaza on October 27. Initially, the ground invasion was slow, as Israel hoped to draw out Hamas fighters, who are hiding among civilians and have an extensive network of tunnels and networks underground to run their military operations. The Israeli counteroffensive was also cutting off most supplies of food, medicine, and fuel to Gaza.

Israel raids Al Shifa Hospital

15 Nov 2023

Israel’s defense forces raided the biggest hospital in November in Gaza and destroyed it in April 2024. According to the IDF, Hamas used the hospital as an operations center and had an underground tunnel network below the hospital, allowing Hamas operatives to move to safety quickly. The IDF posted videos about the presence of underground Hamas facilities.

Hamas and Israel agree on a truce

21 Nov 2023

Qatar mediated a temporary truce from November 24 to November 30. The agreement aimed to release 50 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, alongside facilitating humanitarian aid into Gaza. The ceasefire was extended twice but ultimately ended on December 1, with Hamas accusing Israel of rejecting a hostage exchange deal. This led to renewed hostilities.

Offensive in the South of Gaza

Dec 2023

Around December 4, shortly after the ceasefire ended, Israeli forces launched a major ground assault in Southern Gaza, near the city of Khan Younis. This expansion of military operations across the Gaza Strip deteriorates the already poor humanitarian situation, particularly in areas housing displaced civilians. Most civilians flee to Rafah. On a single day, at least 65 people were killed in Khan Younis as Israeli forces targeted hospitals and civilian infrastructure.

SA appeals to the ICJ

JAN 2024

Africa brought a case against Israel before the International Court of Justice. The country argued that up until January 2024, Israel had led the heaviest bombing campaign in modern history, with over 6000 bombs every week during October 2023, destroying 60 percent of the homes in Gaza and displacing 85% of the population. Israel’s invasion of Gaza killed over 21000 civilians until January 2024. The people living in Gaza have been told to flee from one part of the Gaza Strip to another part, to another part. They have no way to get to safety and live in inhumane circumstances without access to sufficient food or safe shelter. The court orders Israel to prevent crimes of genocide and wants Israel to improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

UNRWA corruption allegations

JAN 2024

Following accusations by Israel involving 12 staff members in the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, 18 countries, including the United States and Germany, who are the leading contributors, declared in January their decision to halt funding to the UNRWA. Additionally, the U.S. Congress mandated a cessation of financial support to the agency until March 2025. Reuters reported that the UN agency, which aids Palestinian refugees, disclosed that several employees, upon their release from Israeli custody into Gaza, alleged Israeli officials coerced them into making unfounded claims regarding the agency’s connections with Hamas and its staff’s participation in the October 7 incidents.

IDF attacks civilians in need

Feb 2024

The UN reported the massacre of 112 people and injured 760 civilians waiting by a truck to collect flour near Gaza City. The UN also accuses Israel of deliberately starving civilians in Gaza and denying entrance of aid workers and aid supplies into Gaza. Israel uses access and entrance of humanitarian aid supplies and workers as a bargaining chip to negotiate with Hamas. The IDF countered the UN’s claims about the attack and released drone footage to prove that the civilians were not killed by Israeli soldiers but by a stampede caused by hungry civilians. BBC investigated the drone footage and found that the footage was edited.

Israeli Drone Kills Aid Workers

April 2024

Israeli drones struck a three-car convoy of the World Central Kitchen in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of seven humanitarian workers. This strike occurred even though the volunteers had properly coordinated their travel routes with the Israeli military. Israel fired two officers responsible for the attack. The drone strike of innocent civilians spurs international outcry over the way the war is conducted. Netanyahu faced severe criticism in his country, with thousands of protestors in Tel Aviv urging him to step down. Biden demands an immediate cease-fire and an end to the blockage of humanitarian aid workers and supplies. Israel agrees to open some of the checkpoints in and out of Gaza.

Israel pulls out of Southern Gaza.

April 2024

Israel withdraws the majority of its troops from Khan Younis six months into the war. Israel claims it concluded its military operation in the South of Gaza and will just leave about 2000-5000 soldiers in Gaza. The IDF will, from now on, focus on more targeted, smaller-scale operations against Hamas.

Meanwhile, amidst international pressure, Israel and Hamas started another round of peace negotiations in Cairo.

UNSC rejects Palestinian State

April 2024

The USA vetoed a bid to give Palestine the status of a member state to the UN. Palestine has been a non-member observer State since 2012. The US representative explained that recognizing the Palestinian state should be done in the context of a peace agreement with Israel

Current Status

Nutrition

Deaths due to Malnutrition & Dehydration

25 ppl

Children under 2 with Acute Malnutrition (Northern Gaza)

16%

Children under 2 with Acute Malnutrition (Rafah)

Protection

Internally Displaced Persons

73.91%

Children Needing Mental Health Support

Unaccompanied or Separated Children

17K

Journalists and Media Workers Killed

125 tot

Health

Partially Functioning Hospitals

12 tot

Fully Functional Field Hospitals

66.67%

Primary Health Care Facilities

24%

Reported Cases of Acute Respiratory Infections

13.04%

Reported Cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea

8.7%

Operational Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs)

17 tot

Education

Students with No Access to Education

625K

Students Killed

Teachers Killed

240

Schools Sustaining Damage

60%

Food Security

People facing Crisis or Worse Levels

95.65%

People facing Emergency Levels

50.87%

People facing Catastrophic Levels

21.74%

Reported Damage

Housing Units Damaged

60%

Churches Damaged

Mosques Damaged

217

Health Facilities Damaged

155

Ambulances Damaged

126

Fatalities among Palestinians

Total Fatalities

31,112

Women

9,000

Children

13,000

Fatalities among Israelis

Total Fatalities

1,200

Children

(OCHA, Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel – reported impact- 11 March 2024)

The Actors

Hamas

Israel

USA

Role Play

You are tasked with negotiating a groundbreaking peace agreement that aims to substantially increase the well-being of all parties involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The parties are Hamas and the PA, Israel, and the USA. You will be divided into groups representing the Israeli government, Hamas, and the United States. Each group will research and prepare their party’s historical positions, current interests, and possible concessions. The stakes below indicate the essential issues you need to focus on. Based on the negotiations, each group will contribute to drafting sections of the peace agreement. The agreement should address all the stakes presented below. Once the draft agreement is completed, each group will present their perspectives, debate its merits and shortcomings, and suggest amendments if necessary. The role-play concludes with a vote on the final version of the peace agreement. A peace agreements database has example agreements.

Stakes

Territories, governance, and infrastructure

Jerusalem: In 1980, the Israeli government declared Jerusalem to be Israel’s eternal and undivided capital. However, most countries do not recognize it as such. The United States maintained its embassy in Israel in Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem, until the Trump administration. The Israeli government has sought to erase any dividing lines between the western and eastern portions of the city through infrastructure projects and housing for Israeli Jews in parts of the city in which the residents were overwhelmingly Palestinian. How should Jerusalem be divided between Palestinians and Israelis?

West Bank and Gaza: The Oslo Accords of 1993 initiated discussions without explicitly establishing a Palestinian state but implied future negotiations for Israel’s borders with the West Bank. Should the Palestinian state be defined by pre-1967 borders, as suggested by President Obama in 2011? What should happen to the Israeli settlements in the West Bank? Should Israel be allowed to keep the land it grabbed?

Infrastructure: What about the control points, crossing points, the wall, dedicated roads, and infrastructure for Jewish and Palestinian people? Does Israel have the right to control the airways and access to the sea?

Map of West Bank Movement restrictions and Map of Gaza restrictions

Hostages

Since October 7, 2023, Hamas still has 134 hostages, and 130 of the hostages have been released. Israel wants Hamas to release all the hostages. Hamas only wants to release the hostages on the condition of a complete cease-fire. How can you get the hostages home safely?

Displaced people and refugees

More than 75 percent of the Palestinians have been displaced inside their own country. Many refugees live in makeshift tent camps in Rafah or elsewhere in Gaza. The conditions in which the displaced people are inhumane. Many are not allowed to return to their homes or what is left of their homes by the IDF. Most live with extreme shortages of food, in unhygienic conditions, in cramped camps, with the risk of infectious diseases. Moreover, over 5,7 million Palestinians are living outside of Palestine in the hope of returning to their motherland. Should the refugees be allowed to return? Does this threaten the Jewish state?

Security

How can Israel and Palestine feel safe? What could be done to create a sense of security if a two-state solution is desired?

International alliances

The future of both Palestine and Israel depends on their international allies; how can you guarantee good relationships, and how can you expand partnerships?

Reconstruction and economic aid

According to an interim damage report by the EU, World Bank, and the UN, reconstructing Gaza will cost approximately 18.5 billion dollars. The report just measures the damage up until January 2024. Just before the conflict, over 63% of Gaza’s population lived in poverty, with 80% receiving some form of assistance. The unemployment rate was at 45.1% in September 2023. The restrictions imposed by Israel significantly hampered the movement of people and goods, stifled private sector growth, and limited access to financial services. Although the agricultural sector provided employment and contributed to the food supply for a significant portion of the population, it encountered numerous obstacles. These included restricted access to cultivable land and water resources, limited availability of fertilizers and other essential supplies, and movement constraints. Before the outbreak of conflict, more than half of Gaza’s inhabitants relied on humanitarian aid for food. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that 61 percent of employment has been lost compared to pre-conflict levels. Who will pay for the reconstruction of Gaza? Who will finance the immediate needs of the Palestinian people?