The Israel-Hamas conflict sprung from the long-standing tension between the two opposing sides in the Middle East. Hamas is a large, Islamic political and military organization originating from Palestine. Israel, on the other hand, is a primarily Jewish country, with a majority of its people practicing Judaism. The ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Palestine began on October 7th, 2023 when the Hamas began their offensive, named “Operation Al Aqsa Storm” by firing a barrage of at least 3,000 missiles from Gaza as well as sending militants over the Israel-Palestine border. There have been over 2,600 fatalities in Gaza from Israel’s military airstrikes and over 1,400 Israeli casualties recorded during rocket attacks and deadly raids into Israeli territory, with thousands of people wounded on both sides. Decades of violence and distrust between the two regions make it very difficult to find common ground for peace negotiations, thus further intensifying the situation.

The armed war has been immensely destructive, leaving both territories and their people in states of devastation. The death toll continues to rise as continuous bombings hit cities on both sides and strip people of necessities such as power and water. Raquel Maya, an 8th grader here at CdM, is half-Israeli and has family in Israel as the crisis continues. Maya mentions her family lives in Tel Aviv, a city in Israel, and that “all of [her] cousins in Israel right now that are eligible are fighting in the army.” She says she’s “been messaging [her] cousin a lot to see how she’s been doing,” hearing that her “cousin’s best friend is missing and some of her friends have gotten killed.” The overall tragedy of the situation is evident, with it impacting families from both sides immensely. Maya encourages people to “donate, spread awareness, and do individual research instead of going off the media” as a way to help aid the situation in any way that is possible.

As the conflict grows, human lives continue to be lost to the war with each passing day. People in major target areas attempt to flee as the continuous offensive and defensive strikes fire from the opposite forces.  A junior at Taft High School, Stephanie Dor, shares that she has “many family members living all over Israel, mainly Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.” She says she has also been keeping in touch with them in any way that she can and that she is “mortified about the situation.” The Israel-Hamas war has led to widespread protests worldwide in support of different sides of the struggle, most looking towards a peaceful resolution between Israel and Hamas.

This violent dispute remains a complex and deep-rooted issue from historical, emotional, and political aspects. Coming to a compromise after decades of tension will stand as a challenge, but it is never impossible. Communities will come together, not to cheer for a certain side, but to promote and encourage peaceful coexistence as an end to the pain many have, and continue to endure.