What We Know About the War Between Israel and Hamas (November 2, 2023)
Author: Matthew Mpoke Bigg
Bigg, Matthew Mpoke. “What We Know about the War between Israel and Hamas.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Nov. 2023, www.nytimes.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-what-we-know.html. Questions at the top are excerpted from: Network, The Learning. “The Israel-Hamas War: A Forum for Young People to React.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Oct. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/10/10/learning/the-israel-gaza-war-a-forum-for-young-people-to-react.html.
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Read the “What We Know” explainer here, then–in comments–tell us what you think.
- What is your reaction to Hamas’s attack on Israel and to Israel’s response? What emotions, feelings and thoughts are you experiencing?
- What questions do you have about what is happening now and about its larger context? This is a complex and quickly moving news story. If you don’t think you have enough background to respond to any of our prompts please post some of the things you are wondering about.
- How closely have you been following the news? Where are you getting your information? How do you know that what you are seeing and hearing is accurate? (For example, NPR’s “On the Media” offers a “breaking news consumer’s handbook” with tips like “focus on known, credible news outlets with reporters on the ground.” )
- What kind of conversations have you had with friends and family members on this subject? Have you and the others in your life had similar reactions to the attacks or different ones? Why do you think that is?
- Have you seen pictures, videos or social media posts documenting what life is like in Israel and Gaza right now? If so, what scenes or images have made an impression on you, and why?
- What do you think might happen next? Why?
- What do you know about how countries around the world are responding? What else, if anything, do you think the United States and other countries should do?
The situation in Israel and Gaza is very complex and can be very emotional. But i didn’t have a crazy reaction when first hearing about the attacks. I think when some people hear about something crazy happening, they don’t think much of it because it has nothing to do with them and isn’t affecting THEM. Although I think the situation in Gaza and Israel is very sad and I care, I don’t have very strong emotions or feelings towards it.
I agree with the not having strong emotions to it because it is not that i don’t care its the fact that this present conflict is one of many genocides ive watched play out in my lifetime
I think that this is a pretty reasonable opinion and it would just depend on how the situation can relate to the person. Some people could have loved ones who are effected and thus have a good reason to care a lot about the subject, while some others do care, just to a certain extent.
I agree that the situation can be very complex and emotional. Knowing there are innocent people who are dying due to government conflict is heartbreaking. I get where you come from on not having nything to do with you so it didnt have as much of in impact – i kinda have the same feeling but for the reason that a lot of these things occur to frequently and a lot of people get used to the amount of violence that goes on in this world
I agree with this comment.When I first heard about what’s happening in Israel and Gaza , I didn’t freak out or anything .I guess sometimes people don’t really care about stuff if it’s not hitting close to home .I do think it’s sad,and I care a bit,but its not like I’m super emotional about it .It can be confusing
People tend to push off things that have nothing to do with them. Some of it may be ignorance is bliss type situation. Even when you do feel sympathy for people your ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is hard.
I agree. My reaction to the situation may not be as strong as others not because I don’t care, but simply because it isn’t really affecting me or anyone that I know. Now, this isn’t just putting down the fact that there are people who are in need of help and I care for that, I just don’t have that strong of an opinion towards it because it has nothing to do with me, nor do I know much about the situation.
i feel like though it might seem unpresidented for hamas to attack Israel, but we shouldnt forget that this conflict dates back to over 100 years
I agree with Micheal, however I feel as though people try and justify the actions of Hamas by saying this. Although I’m sympathetic for Palestine, I cannot condone killing of any kind.
Majority of the world know that Israel has conflicted history with Palestine, that is true. However, Hamas’s actions of murder and more does not justify it.
You’re right , the Israel – Palestine conflict has deep historical roots than span over a century , contributing to the complex and challenging situation we see today
Agreed, although many people are now finding out about this conflict because of the October 7th tragedy, this situation has been happening for a while so its better for people to be educated about what led up to this rather then only basing your opinion off of the October 7th event.
I have sympathy for all those injured and killed during the war as well as the destruction of the Gaza
I agree, the loss has been immense and there’s been a tragic loss on both ends. Though Palestine has gone through much more than Israel has and its very painful to watch how the people are suffering as a result of what their government did. not to take away from the pain Israel felt when they were attacked as they too did not deserve the pain they went through as a result of their government
I agree the bloodshed of both countries is appalling. Knowing that innocent children and families have died when they were so young and innocent is stomach- turning. They had nothing to do with the actions of Hamas or Israeli armies.
Agreed. i feel like people dont realize just how many HUMAN lives were lost because of the war. I understand that there are differences, but at the end of the day human lives arent just tallies that you can get rid of, at the end of the day these people have families.
agreed, i have sympathy for the tragedy and destruction of palestine and no matter what side anybodys on, one thing everyone should be able to agree on is that its upsetting seeing all the innocent lives that are being lost
I agree. I send my condolences out to any that has lost a loved one or close friend during this war. I hope peace can soon be found so no more people have to lose their lives or their homes.
Although the details and information can be mistranslated the most we can do is continue to educate ourselves on both ends
I agree with the statement of information being mistranslated because the translator may have biases on the situation themselves. If a word in a foreign language does not have an exact translation in English, the translator’s bias may come out by trying to interpret the meaning in the document they’re trying to translate.
I agree, as someone who is not educated as much as i should be on this topic i would want to continue to do more research to get a full grip on the information and things happening to help stop the amount of mistranslated information that causes more conflict
I agree, i also think that some people take sides without knowing the history and the full truth of the situation. There isn’t much we can do to impact this situation so we mind as well educate ourselves.
The accuracy of the translation process may be affected by personal biases of the translator, thus resulting in possible misinformation being conveyed. This occurs especially when there are certain words or phrases in the source language that lack direct equivalents in English, leading to the translator’s interpretation and derivation of meaning.
Agreed. Though I don’t know much about the war, I believe the only way I’m going to truly know whats going on before I start making biased comments I need to inform myself with information from both sides.
At first look it may seem like these acts ere heartless but then again this conflict between Hamas and Israel has dated back 100 years. Therefore it makes it way more complicated to decide who is right or wrong
At least try to get the facts right, the conflict has been going on for more than a 100 years but Hamas was actually created in 1987 not 100 years ago. It was created due to treatment of Palestinian and Israel people taking continuing to take their strips of land, Gaza and West Bank. Now when we go back in the past to 1918, more than 100 years ago in WW1, the Ottoman Empire was defeated and British, French, Italian colonizers took full control over ruling the land of Palestine and its people. The British decided to make a Jewish national homeland in Palestine and made a declaration known as the Balfour Decision. The population in Palestine back was predominantly Christian and Muslim. In the Declaration it states the Jewish group would be the minority with political advantages and the other “non-Jewish” group identified by the British would have only civil and religious rights. Like what the h* you would agree with me that this is enough to be imperialism. And the British legacy led to a creation of an Israel state unopposed to the native majority to which Palestinians still TO THIS DAY protest about the Balfour Declaration. This is why it is better to know the history and not to avoid it.
Zionist Scholar:
The history is more complex than you portray, and Hamas’s creation was not simply a byproduct of victimhood but an ideological choice toward extremism. Israel has historical and religious claims to this land, dating back thousands of years. The Jewish people have a right to self-determination, as does any other people. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 recognized this right and was a milestone toward the reestablishment of a Jewish homeland in our ancestral territory.
Hamas Scholar:
You’re ignoring the dispossession and displacement of millions of Palestinians. Your claim to this land is based on ancient texts, but we have been living here continuously for centuries. The Balfour Declaration had no right to give away our land, and it’s outrageous to think that imperial powers could decide our fate. Hamas rose from the oppression and continual occupation by Israel. It is a legitimate resistance against a colonial entity.
Zionist Scholar:
Your so-called “resistance” is nothing but terrorism that has taken innocent Israeli lives. The IDF, in contrast, has a moral army that aims to minimize civilian casualties even when we have no choice but to defend ourselves. “The Israel Defense Forces will not hesitate to attack any place from which terrorism against us emanates,” — this is our right to protect our citizens from entities sworn to our destruction.
Hamas Scholar:
This so-called “moral” army you praise is responsible for the brutal military aggression that targets our schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods. They claim to avoid civilian casualties, yet the death toll tells another story. Hamas’s response is a necessary defense against an oppressive occupation. We fight for the liberation of our people and our land.
Zionist Scholar:
Hamas uses its own civilians as human shields, placing military targets within innocent populations. It is rich for you to accuse us of aggression when you celebrate the murder of our civilians as victories. Our soldiers bravely defend our land and our people with honor; “Anyone who tries to harm the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,” and this is a principle the IDF upholds with diligence.
Hamas Scholar:
The real human shields are the Palestinian people, whom the IDF does not hesitate to harm. Your so-called price is paid with the blood of our children. We do not celebrate death; we mourn the necessity of a struggle imposed upon us by an occupying power that denies our right to live freely in our own land. “The resistance will continue until the end of the occupation,” — this is our steadfast commitment.
Zionist Scholar:
I will never concede to a narrative that legitimizes a terrorist organization over a democratic state’s right to self-defense. The IDF will continue to act decisively against threats, and we will never apologize for surviving and thriving in a land that has been promised to us through our history and international mandate.
Hamas Scholar:
And we will never stop fighting for the justice and freedom of the Palestinian people. The land you so confidently claim as yours, was stolen from its rightful inhabitants, and resistance, in every form, will persist until the Palestinian people triumph and reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
I agree, and what makes the situation even worse is that people who aren’t educated in this topic jump to assumptions which leads to the spread of false information.
It is undeniable that I concur with this viewpoint. However, what exacerbates the situation further is the unfortunate tendency of uninformed individuals to hastily make assumptions, consequently fueling the dissemination of inaccurate information.
I don’t think that the fact about how long ago this happened is a factor but more so knowing both sides and factual evidence. You cannot hear one side of an argument and decide the truth
I think that this is partly right, as its true that you cant decide whos wrong and whos right without all of the information but i think the timeline does actually matter, because if we know the timeline we can get to the root of the problem and solve it there
I agree. I believe a lot of people don’t really take the time out to fact check their sources and they decide to go off what one of the sources says about the issue instead of looking at the entire picture before they get their biased opinions on it.
I agree with you. The attack on Israel by Hamas was very brutal. I need to be more informed about the history between Palestine and Israel before making justifications for one side. History complicates this situation, Israel has a right to defend itself but there is more to that in this case. You can’t take things at face value.
I feel like there is wrong on both sides and that there should be compromise. I feel more for palestinian side due to them being the ones in the oppressed posistion but all lives lost are thought about
I definitely agree, many people also have different reasons for supporting the sides they’re on, but there are factors on each side that pushes for their position, so it’s difficult to see “who’s right” in this situation
I agree with you, most people think the attacks are unprecedented but this war has been going on for like 100 years, A lot of people who support either sides are not accepting other factors that led up to this position, but we have to consider people who are from Israel and Palestine
I understand what you are trying to say. I do agree with the fact that there should be a compromise to stop death and hearrtbreak but also palestine has the right to defend themself – could they have done it differently? maybe but i feel like war and conflict was not going to be avoided no matter what anyone tried to do
I agree , recognizing the complexity of the issue , advocating for compromise , and expressing empathy for the Palestinian side , while valuing all lives lost , highlights a thoughtful approach to the ongoing conflict.
I agree with this statement. There’s wrong to both extents and no one is more wrong than the other because the cause was wrong but the response was over doing it.
Both sides are definitely in the wrong, and both sides have their reasons why disagreements were made. The people of Palestine have been oppressed and continuously robbed of their land for over 10 decades and continuing to be displaced to this day.
When taking in all of the information, it is incredibly difficult to pick a side and even then there is a lot of misinformation and biased claims
I think this issue affects many people especially ones who are in the subgroups of palestine and israel. Many people have strong feelings on who they deem as right which is causing a lot of conflict not only in palestine and israel, but worldwide too.
I agree, this issue is affecting not only the people of the war, but the worldwide. However, does that mean that the people have the right to work their way into this war and claim that they are “helping”
I agree with your statement, as the on-going battle isn’t just affecting within the two nations but worldwide as there’s outsider inhabitants from both places; living in different countries, in this moment. Supporting; protesting their beliefs and making outside governments be a part in some way by spreading this, globally. Like others stated, to me, people are being biased when it comes to choosing sides of war especially when innocent people are dying on both sides. Like Mariam typed about how others are claiming to help, Are those ‘helpers’ really helping the situation to dissolve, in favor of everyone, generally?
conflicts and arguments are happening around the world where no one is willing to listen to each other.
I think Hamas was wrong in their attack. But there is a limit to what people will tolerate and after years of oppression Hamas could no longer do it. They did what they thought would be in favor of them but received deadly backlash. Israel’s attacks go far beyond self-defense. They are killing tens of thousands of innocent civilians, bombing hospitals, mosques, and schools, and denying the people of Gaza, food, water, and emergency healthcare. I feel grief for the people of Palestine who have been displaced and killed. They are losing their homes and families by the second while the whole world watches.
There are grave mistakes on both sides that people must take into consideration. It isn’t a one-sided conflict and we should work to study both sides and put biases aside despite our personal feelings.
Although I cannot fully relate to the attack on Israel because I don’t live nor am I of age to do anything about it but watch. I can acknowledge that thousands of people died, due to the attack from Hamas and have sympathy for those who lost loved ones as a result.
I was not super shocked to hear about the attacks, not because I don’t care and it is very unfortunate for those who are losing their lives due to this attack. Some people won’t have a super drastic reaction to the news because it isn’t affecting them directly.
I think another reason why people may be unfazed by the situation is because there is already so much violence and genocides in other places of the world.
The whole world has eyes on what is happening and many people have taken sides. The divison of opinions will cause a breakout between grovement and civilians.
I agree the division of opinions will cause an outbreak between governments and civilians. There has already been an outbreak between civilians at different protests in support of either Israel or Palestinians where fights broke out and very vulgar language between protesters were used.
I agree, I think people forget that when talking about topics like this it is important to approach it with sensitivity and respect for diverse perspectives.
Definitely, we can see this happening in U.S. already. Most of the American federal government is Pro-Israel due its political ties. But a very vocal portion of the American public is Pro-Palestine. Recently, the largest protest in support of Palestine took place in Washington D.C. People are contacting their representatives and telling them to support Palestine. Many other movements like these have and will happen around the world. The tensions between governments and their civilians are rising.
The internet and the U.S’s Government and alliance has what I would say an abundant amount of Pro-Israeli supporters because of how easily influenced people can be.
i think this is true but i also think that in some cases stuff like this gets out of hand really fast, because i understand where some of these people come from, they have to know that theres only so much you can do as an outsider
Agreed, A divided opinion makes no progress. Still, the fact that there is so much division makes me question if a single opinion could be found in the first place. I personally feel as if a compromise being reached (in regards to how the US Gov. Is pro Israel but a lot of normal people are pro Palestine per say) wouldn’t be of much help either. To compromise in a situation like this, with the sheer amount of bloody history and already inflicted violence, a compromise would come at the cost of nothing really being done. As I see it, both sides are unwilling to compromise, which while not good by any means, it shows that change needs to happen and will happen regardless of whatever side does end up coming out alive. This is the start of a new era, whether we like it or not.
I honestly don’t think it will and leaders will finally realize why this would be bad for the world, but maybe I’m cutting them too much slack.
yes i agree the entire globe is closely watching the ongoing events, with numerous individuals aligning themselves with different perspectives. This divergence of opinions is likely to lead to a rift between the government and the general public.
I agree, in situations like this respect for different perspectives is important. The disagreement between the government and civilians can continue to make tensions rise. A split can be created between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine.
Agreed,its already been noticable with the government not being constantly willing to listen to civilians opinions along with spreading biased information on news outlets. An example of this can be when CNN was given a tour of Gaza with Isreali forces and forces point at a list saying it belongs to hamas when its really just a calander that lists the days of the week in arabic and CNN didnt try confirming what the forces said before airing it on live television for the public to see.
I definitely agree. Though this is going on across the globe, it feels like a lot of countries are getting pulled into it and their citizens are voicing their opinions loud about it. Of course because this is reality, everyone has different opinions so there is some uproar in that area especially between the government and citizens.
Since we don’t know when this war will end, what are some ideas on how it will end. I wonder what Hamas will need to receive from Israel for this war to end and what Israel will need from Hamas.
I think the only way this war will end is if they come to a compromise that satisfies what they both want without their being any remaining bad vibes. The Palestinians wants a good portion of their land back and for their resources not to be controlled, they want an independent state without worry of being shut off of their important resources. Israel wants land for a Jewish state. both of these ideas could coe-exist with one another without their being unnecessary conflict as long as both ends agree for a peace treaty.
I don’t think this will ever end until a compromise is made as well. But the things that would come with the compromise are things that niether of them would be willing to give up
An issue I see with this is that it’s really not that easy. While as you said, a compromise that satisfies both parties can be reached, you can’t make everyone happy. It’s more than “Israel wants this” and “Palestine wants that”, we can not deny the fact that personal agendas are involved in this. As we’ve seen, Israel officials are keen on violence. As we’ve seen, Palestinian people will remember this with bitterness. Even if a peace treaty would’ve been reached, the damage can not be undone. There is no just “sorry we took basically all of your land and bombed what little you had left and denied you any resources and aid” or “Sorry we invaded you and killed so many and taken so many hostage”. People remember things, and just as easily as treaties can be signed they can be burned. There is no longer room for compromise as long as people can remember the tragedies that have happened dating back longer than any of us have been alive for. These things in history will never end in a way that isn’t messy.
I honestly don’t think this war will end anytime soon. Hamas is in a terrible condition right now as Israel has overwhelmed them but I doubt there will be a surrender on either side. Hopefully both sides can come to a compromise
yes. In my opinion, the ongoing war seems to have no end in sight. Hamas is currently facing a difficult situation due to Israel’s superior strength, but I don’t believe that either side will give up easily. It is my hope that a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached between both parties.
In order for this conflict to end, one side must give up. Hamas wants full independence for Palestine and the restoration of the lands that were taken from them. Israel isn’t going to do this. Their citizens live there and they believe that they have a right to be on that land. For Israel to stop, they would need Hamas to be completely dismantled and their people to be released from hostage. The best way to end this conflict would be a ceasefire, but this would leave long lasting resentment on both sides.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this war will end anytime soon. Both sides want their own land yet it won’t seem to end well. Not only that, but this has been going on for years before Oct. 7th. It has just now been getting a lot of media attention and backlash. Lots of people talk about a compromise, yet will not want to leave nor give up any land.
I think the only way this war will end is when a compromise is made by the two countries. Peace is needed to be made by both. Also, the one-state solution is a proposed approach to resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, according to which one state would be established between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean.
It is very hard to tell when this will end. Israel has made its intentions clear, they want to destroy Hamas and they are willing to do whatever it takes; even destroying Palestine in the process. Even with the world against them, Israel continues to go through with its plan.
Is there ever going to be a ceasefire? How long will the war continue to happen?
I don’t believe that there will be a ceasefire anytime soon. From what I have seen on the news and social media from the side supporting Israel, they don’t want to call a ceasefire as they see that Israel has done nothing wrong and should continue to fight to protect themselves.
BY the way things are looking right now I feel like their wont be a ceasefire soon.
I dont think that until there are hefty deals and agreements made there will be no ceasefire. Israel will not stop their attack until full submission from Hamas. Hamas government won’t stop either to protect themselves and what they want.
It is evident, based on the news and social media coverage that heavily favors Israel, that a ceasefire is unlikely to occur in the near future. The biased perspective portrays Israel as innocent and unwilling to acknowledge any wrongdoing. A prime example of this is Joe Biden’s ongoing support for Israel’s attacks on Gaza, as he recently dismissed the desperate pleas for a cessation of hostilities.
Like Gabriela typed, I also believe it won’t happen, at least yet. Both sides of the war are standing their ground still, making more tragedy because of their governments + the support the battle is getting; especially Israel in the Western gov’ts. That with the unbalance of pov’s and media sharing of the war to begin with, fairness (of the citizens) doesn’t look near.
Although i would hope to say yes for a permanent ceasefire, i doubt that would ever be possible since many people have strong beliefs about this situation.
Is there any chance of Israel and Hamas calling a truce?
For now, I highly doubt it, especially when religion has been dragged into it.
Is this war really about religion? I feel like when religions countries fight, people always assume the number one reason is religion.
I wouldn’t think the conflict is because of religion because the major religions in both areas have co-existed for so long and I, personally, cannot think of reasons for Muslim and Jewish people to clash for their beliefs, seeing as the religions have such similar characteristics.
I think that religion does play a role in this conflict. Especially because some people chose to support Israel due to its connection to god. Even looking at the history of Israel and Palestine shows that religion has always been present in this conflict. One of the reasons Israel came to that region was because of their religious ties to it.
There is no chance that Israel and Hamas will call a truce. The animosity between the two countries created by the large amount of civilians killed on both sides will not allow them to coexist peacefully. The civilians themselves will view each other badly because they have lost friends and family during the war.
I agree, the conflict dates back thousands of years. They have had much time to resolve these conflicts but fuel is continuously added to the fire. This proves the complexity of the conflict, as they have been conflicting over things such as territory, independence, and beliefs practically since the nations pf Palestine and Israel were established.
I don’t think their will be any type of truce since they ( Israel) have had multiple chances but decided not, for example they rejected a cease fire, so I think other countries will have to either aid Palestine or watch what happens
I think right now there is no chance of any side calling a truce- the death tolls keep rising and there is only more conflict being brought up- also the use of the media does not make it better- i think the media further influences whats happing and adds more fuel to the fire
As of now my biggest question is what is gonna be the outcome of all of this, as it could impact lot.
Agreed. I feel like the outcome of this war could possibly become global involving multiple world leaders including the US and if this continues, definitely many would and continue to be impacted.
I totally agree as I said previous I feel like this war won’t end anytime soon. And I feel like more countries including the US will soon be dragged into this war. It’s already been stated that they have given Israel different weapons etc and it’s obvious both sides have allies and
I agree with the statement. Both sides want full control of the strip and they both will do whatever they can in their power to receive full control of the strip. I think the fact that they have shown that they will go to the longest lengths to get what they want is a big impact because unfortunately more lives will be lost.
What is the full truth behind this conflict?
I blame the British as to why Palestine lost its land! I explained the Barfour Declaration but now I want to explain the British Partition. The British mandate of a partition took place. The loss of Palestinian land map might show this and many sources say that it is inaccurate and Jewish communities existed before Palestinians, and they tell us that the map is innaccurate since it never happened. And I totally agree with that. NBC news also featured the map but there was a lot of debate so it was taken down. But my point is that, a war was fought against Palestinians and Israel. With Israel winning the war it is obvious the result of that caused a lot of land that was either lost or taken from Palestinians causing 2 million Arabs forced to live as refugees on “Israel’s land,” which was made a national jewish homeland.
can there be compromise at all?
I highly doubt there will be a peaceful resolution to this dispute because both sides seem to believe heavily in their military powers. The only way I could see this ending is a huge war involving multiple countries or Palestine surrendeing.
It can be but is unlikely. I think Israel actually showed ways of calling for peace these pass couple of decades.
I think and hope for the sake of humanity that it’s a ceasefire.
I haven’t been following it too closely but that is because of the bias and easy spread of misinformation on the situation. I won’t know what to believe
It’s hard to confirm and verify the credibility of some sources. However, I believe that it is still important to know the two sides because you don’t necessarily have to pick a side just as long as you know the context to understand arguments.
Many outlets including the news spread information, and it is hard to know what is the truth without bias. I believe individual research should be done to get both sides the bring them together to the current problem.
I could understand your reasoning for this. I think it’s always good to fact-check things and always do your research on the things we hear nowadays on the media. Especially because it may not be always in English, you could be given misinformation because you didn’t decide to double-check the translations. In this situation, there have been times when the news given out by Israel was proved to be false which could also be where trust in news could fall for many.
I agree. It’s difficult to understand what’s true and what isn’t because a lot of western media outlets spread misinformation, too. This became especially apparent when CNN was taken on a “tour” of Gaza with the IDF.
I have been keeping up with the news and get my information from social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, along with finding unbiased reports about the events. I take everything I learn with a grain of salt because a lot of pieces of news online can be biased and could also have the possibility of being misleading.
I’ve had conversations about who we think is in the wrong or right
I had a handful of in depth conversations with friends and family about their viewpoints on the conflict. Although some people may have different viewpoints as i have, i can respect and understand that since there are many different things that can build ones viewpoint on a situation like this, I was also able to help someone understand the conflict in an unbiased way putting my views aside helping them to create their on opinion on a heavy even such as this.
Considering its all over social media right now, the conversation is almost unavoidable, but as of now i havent gone in depth with anyone i know, since the topic at hand is a very dark and serious discussion to be had
I’ve only had a few conversations about this topic and my personal thoughts about the whole controversy and who’s side is “correct” I don’t have enough information to make any bold claims on who may be right in this situation when it is pretty obvious both governments are to blame.
Nothing against you personally, but I’ve always wondered why things considered “dark/serious” discussions are avoided. Is it simply a case of you’d rather not think about it, or is it more a fear of judgement? Serious conversations need to be had for understanding to be reached, both in regards to Israel Vs Palestine, or affairs beyond that.
I personally haven’t had an in depth conversation with anyone at home on the matter. However I have talked about how sad it is to see what is happening over there.
I’ve had in-depth conversations with friends and other people. I’ve helped educate and have also been educated. It’s nice to have a conversation in a healthy environment where everyone is respected for their different opinions and viewpoints.
Seeing images on social show the pain and suffering people are going through with your own eyes without actully being there. Looking at burned down buildings seeing peoples home destryoed will really make you sad and have so much empathy just by seeing a picture.
one example would be the Hadids, Bella and Gigi Hadid, their family being attacked online and being sent death threats to due to them being in support of Palestine, even though they are Palestinian
Seeing the dead children and men and women without their families has definitely swayed me to Palestine.
I follow a lot of people on Instagram who are firsthand reporters stationed and trapped in Gaza. Every time I open my feed I see a dead child. The images are very hard to look at and they take a mental toll on me. They’ve had a negative effect on me.
In the media, I saw many children who were separated from their parents who were lost in the rubble and shaking covered in blood and dust. They were babies and toddlers. It’s upsetting that they are going through all this trauma and it’s sick that all these children’s lives are being taken from them and Israel doesn’t care.
I agree, there’s been lots of innocent death caused by the Israeli government. I’ve seen a father carrying his children in plastic grocery bags, all dismembered. I saw a release of some type of gas into a room full of civilian Palestinians- they couldn’t breathe and were all choking. Also the fact Israel has committed a good amount of war crimes without many consequence is very appalling. Why has there been no call to action?
It is important to bring up what is portrayed in the media because this is what has drawn a lot of people to be so passionate about this issue. Even people with no connection to Palestine or Israel become avid in their effort for spreading awareness when they come across scenes being brought to them by victims. It is even more important to highlight the prominence of children in the death count of people being bombed in the Gaza strip. Outsiders being able to sympathize with the death of children more than the people at fault is telling of the extents people in power will go to in order to prove a point.
Seeing little kids covered in dust and blood, separated from their parents in the news, is just really sad. It’s messed up that they have to go through all of that, and it feels like nobody’s doing enough to help them.It’s really tough seeing those images of little kids going through such scary situations. Imagine being so small and not understanding why everything around you is falling apart. It’s messed up that they’re losing their families and going through all that trauma. I wish there was more being done to protect them and find a way to make things better. It feels like their voices are being overlooked, and that’s just not right.
I agree, and for this reason, it is difficult for me to sympathize with Israel. Seeing children not even five years old being killed in these bombings with no remorse, being dehumanized, and seeing people agree that literal children should die hurts. Seeing people lose so many family members or not knowing how they will survive is horrific. People will say that both sides are suffering, but looking at the media shown by people experiencing this genocide, I cannot find that to be true.
I agree. A strong percentage of the deaths of Palestinians were women and children. It is crazy thinking about it but Israel doesn’t seem to lead up until full control no matter the lives.
I 100% agree with this. It breaks my heart to constantly see so many innocent lives being lost and especially the children. They haven’t done anything and don’t even know what is happening, but they are losing family members and are going through traumatic events because of these attacks.
Ive seen a lot of videos of childrens lives in Gaza, those of which have made a big impact on me. in particular, there a video floating around on social media involving 2 children that were dirty and shaking because of the events around them
I’ve seen countless videos just like the ones you saw. I really hope that those kids get the support they need. It is truly disturbing to watch.
I have not seen many photos but from watching the news it helps create an image on how bad things really are over in Israel and Palestine.
I’ve seen pictures and videos of what is going on as well as the names of the plestinians lives lost. It made an impression on me because it is heartbreaking to see all those people, espeically children, lose their lives due to war
It’s definitely traumatizing and heartbreaking to see because children are involved and there’s no escaping the terror and the war.
Agreed. I find it so devastating seeing people in Gaza having to post their child’s dead body to show the suffering they’ve endured, just for the world to see and turn their back on them. I’ve even heard some people in interviews or online say that these children practically deserve what’s happening to them because they were “raised to hate us [Israelis]”. I don’t understand how anyone on either side could say that children who’ve barely even developed an understanding of the cruel world they’re in, deserve any type of harm.
Yes I have seen pictures, videos, and social media posts of whats happening in Gaza right now on social media apps and it has definitely been taking a toll on my mental health by how saddening this situation is. One video where i couldn’t forget was when a grandfather was holding his granddaughters lifeless body in his arms and wearing her earring as a pin to always remember her by.
On social media, I’ve seen little kids without a home many homes destroyed, and lifeless bodies on the ground. Further inspecting those videos/images you can analyze what is happening due to the Hamas attack on Israel. I think that it’s sad and scary how in the blink of an eye your home could be destroyed and forced to live outside with little to no resources.
I think a ceasefire may happen in the future but not right now. I believe more Palestinians will die and more destruction will be caused.
There’s already so much violence happening which is a given in this conflict, I agree, there is a possibility of a ceasefire, but the aftermath and history behind this are on such a catastrophic level that the potential chance for forgive and forget is not likely
I also think the media especially the U.S. will continue to trace-back in their steps and begin to hesitate to invest money in Israel’s aid.
I think there is nuance, when Palestine has been attacked for years, the media barely took notice, but when Israel is attacked, all of a sudden the world cares, obviously war is not a good thing and innocent civilians on both sides should not have to face the things that they are going through, but the media, I feel as if they want to take sides, its almost a damned if you do, damned if you don’t, if you support one side, your bad, if you support the other, that’s bad, and if you wish there to be a ceasefire, that’s wrong too because xyz…
Obviously it’s hard to predict with certainty what will happen next but the conflict has a long history and is influenced by various factors. But after all of the death of innocent lives I don’t think there’ll be peace or a cease fire anytime soon.
I think that due to the U.S.’s standings with Israel they will continue to aid Israel.
I agree, most likely the U.S. will continue to support Israel. Sending money for anything they need and supporting their troops.
I also think that the U.S. will continue to help Israel and that’s why cease fire is so important.
I think the more the death total goes up “peace” will become a topic to end all the suffering. Although after all this fighting i dont think peace is really even an option
If they were to call peace after some time I think that it is not worth it at all. Thousands of people have already died and by the time they call peace Palestinian people would have lost their homes and everything.
Peace is all that can be wished for by palestinians who are trapped in a prison of destruction and death. I don’t know if peace will ever be as much of a priority to the israeli nation, as from what I have seen, they are not subjected to amounts close to the cruelty and restriction. This is unsurprising as Israel has all the power in this situation, in numbers, control, and technology. Given their status, it is up to them to bring “peace”.
Many people across the world are pushing to call a ceasefire. Right now Biden called for the war to stop 4 hours a day but that’s not enough. I hope a ceasefire will happen, but the damage will already be done by then.
i personally dont understand why a ceasefire hasn’t happened yet. There’s been a mass loss of innocent Palestinian lives and that number only keeps of rising as a ceasefire is delayed. There hasn’t been any news on successfully killing any Hamas members- doesn’t that make their current efforts futile, a waste, and just damaging to people who dont deserve it? There needs to be a call to action to impose a serious ceasefire so that innocent people stop dying.
I agree with you, I have only seen innocent lives being taken and their deaths could’ve been avoided.
This made me personally think of who really wins in this, many deaths were in result of the violence on both sides, and for what? Vengeance? Is it worth it the deaths of innocent people? I believe that the call for ceasefire should’ve happened a long while ago
I couldn’t agree more. The lost both countries are facing is astronomical. When this war finally ends the damage will already be done. So many innocent lives have already taken I don’t know what else there is to fight for. A ceasefire needs to be made and this war needs to end
I agree with Toni and Sundus as to why a ceasefire hasn’t happened yet. I doubt that no Israelian soldier has no remorse for what they have done but I guess as a soldier they have to show complete allegiance. I just don’t understand how the government can just see these people in the worst state imaginable and still think it’s okay to keep bombing the Gaza Strip.
Biden has called for the war to stop 4 hrs a day, because he can’t do much, and wants to look like he’s helping. It’s up to the UN to call a ceasefire, but they can’t because they will not all agree to it.
I didn’t know this and it actually makes more sense as to why a ceasefire is taking forever to happen.
I can’t speak for the relief that 4 hours of ceasefire brings to Palestinians constantly under attack. I can, though, speak for the miniscule efforts of leaders such as Biden to intervene. I agree that Biden’s call is only to save face and is not in the best interest of the people dying in this conflict. The hypocrisy in calling for ceasefire, for any amount of time, while supplying weapons to Israel for the violence exposes the lack of real care for victims of this.
I don’t know why Biden thought that would work. Ceasefire shoudlve been called but were still here. A compromise has to be talked about.
4 hours is simply not enough. Considering that they even proposed 4 hours instead of encouraging a ceasefire altogether.
I cannot be too sure what may happen espeically considering i dont know the full truth of everything but what we can do is hope that the killing on both sides will stop
It’s no way to know exactly what will happen next but I feel like this is a never ending war with Palestine and Israel. Their history is so long and there’s a lot of built up anger on both sides. If there is any stop to this war I feel like it will take a lot of energy, time and communication from both sides. At the moment that’s obviously something neither side is willing to do. So I think that there will continue to be animosity against both country’s which will lead to more fighting generations to come
i feel like as of now, the situation can only really get worst from here, as the problems only seem to be escalating from what they are now
I agree because if the war were to continue, other countries would be dragged into the war, especially those near where the war is located. Even if one side were to win, the amount of people lost and affected will not allow the civilians to live peacefully.
There really is no telling what could happen in the furtue and the depends on whether people choose to help from afar, or sit and let the mass killing of many gain traction for the wrong reasons.
I agree because I just keep seeing the number of losses rise and a lot of damage has been done.
Even with delayed support, more countries are standing in solidarity with Palestine. Most countries are doing their best to call for a ceasefire but Israel refuses to. I think that countries should send humanitarian aid to Gaza because they are going through a humanitarian crisis. Biden should stop funding Israel because it has been proven that Israel only intends to cause harm to Palestine and its people. History is repeating itself and it’s being televised for millions to see. It’s hard to ignore something when it’s staring you right in the face.
From what I’ve seen, a lot of countries have different views of the topic. From an American pov, it is pro- Israel but there are many citizens that are fighting against it and are pro- Palestine so it’s really creating a lot more controversy.
After Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, Israel has been besieging and bombarding the Gaza Strip, worsening a humanitarian crisis.
Israeli soldiers in Be’eri, Israel, this month. Be’eri was among the sites attacked by Hamas terrorists during their Oct. 7 assault. Credit: Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times
Nov. 2, 2023
Follow our latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war.
On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists staged a surprise attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people in their homes, at a music festival and on the streets. In retaliation, Israel’s government vowed to destroy Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that controls the Gaza Strip. Israel unleashed a devastating barrage of airstrikes against Gaza, where more than 8,000 people are now dead, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, and sent troops into the battered enclave. The fallout from the violence has shaken the region and the world.
Hamas “terrorists” staged a surprise attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people in their homes.
Hamas stages a surprise attack on Israel killing more than 1,400 people in their homes.
Israel’s government made a promise to destroy Hamas and unleashed a fatal barrage of bombs against Gaza .
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel and killed 1,400 people in their homes, on the streets, and at a music festival.
Hamas staged a surprised an attack on Israel,killing more than 1,400 people in homes,Music Festival and the streets.
Why stage a surprise attack? it’s not like everyone in that country Is your enemy. most people that have been killed were innocent, and had nothing to do with anything that happened before this, if anything even happened.
I agree that Hamas doing a surprise attack wasn’t a good idea. To add to this I think it was a bad idea also because of how much stronger as a nation Israel is compared to them
I think the reason for the surprise attack was for the fact that they wanted to get a jump on Hamas unexpected so that they could kill them. I also think they don’t consider the lives of the innocent people dying as they just see them as collateral damage- people dying as a result of their goal. they see it as a must, that it just has to be done.
Exactly what they were thinking, they even stated this on their 1st conference that was live on national + global TV, here in the states, at least. It’s a must on both sides mainly the state of Israel to get more control, power and land, once again in humane history.
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