The war between gaza and isreal

1. Origins and the immediate trigger

The immediate trigger of the current war was Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault into southern Israel, which Israeli authorities say killed roughly 1,195 people and left dozens taken hostage, prompting a large-scale Israeli military campaign in Gaza ^[1]. That operation revived decades-old fault lines of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, mobilizing military responses, political rhetoric and international diplomatic interventions that have since shaped the conduct and aftermath of the fighting ^[1].

2. Human toll and displacement

The human cost is immense and disputed in detail: Gaza health authorities and other compilations place total deaths in the Gaza war at over 70,000 Palestinians and roughly 2,000 Israelis by early 2026, with thousands more injured and nearly the entire 2.3 million Gazan population displaced at various points, according to multiple reporting and agency summaries ^{[2] [1]}. UN and aid agencies have repeatedly warned of catastrophic humanitarian conditions, including malnutrition and damaged health infrastructure, even as some measures of famine risk were later described as eased once aid deliveries improved after a ceasefire phase ^{[3] [1]}.

3. Warfare, ceasefires and ongoing violations

The conflict has cycled through intense Israeli air and ground operations, Hamas rocket and militant actions, and mediated ceasefires; one US-brokered framework moved the war into a phased ceasefire beginning October 2024–2025, but violations and renewed strikes have continued, including heavy Israeli air raids during January 2026 that killed dozens and drew reciprocal accusations of ceasefire breaches ^{[4] [5] [6]}. International monitors and UN staff described northern Gaza early in the war as an “Apocalyptic Wasteland,” and agencies warn that despite formal pauses, military activity has trended back toward pre‑ceasefire levels at times ^{[7] [3]}.

4. Aid, access and the reconstruction debate

Humanitarian access has been a central battleground: agreements envisaged hundreds of aid trucks daily but actual flows were often far lower, and Israel at times restricted or conditioned NGO operations, even banning some groups in early 2026 amid new registration and oversight demands ^{[4] [1]}. Parallel to humanitarian disputes, political proposals for Gaza’s future—ranging from disarmament prerequisites to high‑profile development plans presented at Davos—have sparked accusations that reconstruction schemes risk marginalizing or displacing Palestinians rather than centering their rights and governance ^{[8] [9]}.

5. International politics and accountability fault lines

Global responses have been deeply polarized: the U.S. played a central mediation role while facing domestic political divisions over support for Israel and pressure to alleviate Gazan suffering ^[7]. The U.N., Security Council reports and humanitarians have called for stricter oversight, accountability and protection of civilians even as member states disagree over exit timelines, the role of Palestinian authorities, and mechanisms to prevent permanent dispossession ^{[10] [3]}.

6. Current phase and why the conflict remains intractable

By early 2026 the war had entered a precarious transition: partial ceasefire mechanisms, phased withdrawals and the opening of crossings such as Rafah for limited movement were steps forward, yet daily violence, political friction over reconstruction leadership and deep mistrust between parties mean that stabilization, return of displaced people, and a durable political settlement remain unresolved ^{[11] [12] [4]}. Reporting shows that while some immediate humanitarian indicators improved after elements of the ceasefire took hold, the situation remains fragile and subject to rapid reversal if agreements collapse or new military operations resume ^{[1] [3]}.