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Gaza War Enters Its 12th Month With Truce Hopes Slim
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza entered its 12th month Saturday with little sign of respite for the Palestinian territory or hope for Israeli hostages still held captive. The ongoing conflict, which began in May 2021, has led to a devastating humanitarian crisis in the densely populated Gaza Strip, with no end in sight to the violence and suffering.
The Roots of the Conflict
The current war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, has its roots in decades of tensions and sporadic violence between the two sides. Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 after winning elections, Israel has imposed a land, air, and sea blockade on the territory, restricting the movement of people and goods.
This has led to a dire economic situation in Gaza, with high unemployment, poverty, and a lack of basic services like electricity and clean water. Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel over the years, while Israel has launched multiple military operations in Gaza to try to stop the attacks and weaken Hamas.
The Latest Escalation
The current round of fighting began on May 10, 2021, when Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Jerusalem after weeks of rising tensions and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in the city. Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza, and the two sides have been trading fire ever since.
More than 250 people have been killed in Gaza, including dozens of children, and over 1,900 have been wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. In Israel, 12 people have been killed, including two children, and hundreds have been injured by rocket fire, according to Israeli authorities.
The Humanitarian Crisis
The war has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been under blockade for nearly 15 years. The UN has warned that the Strip’s 2 million residents are facing a “catastrophic” situation, with severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies.
Many homes and buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the fighting, leaving thousands of people homeless. The UN says that more than 58,000 Palestinians have been displaced by the conflict and are seeking shelter in schools run by the UN refugee agency (UNRWA).
Diplomatic Efforts
Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have so far failed to make progress. The UN Security Council has held several emergency meetings on the crisis but has been unable to agree on a statement or resolution due to opposition from the United States, which has veto power.
President Joe Biden has expressed support for a ceasefire and has sent a top envoy to the region to try to calm the situation. But the U.S. has also blocked UN Security Council statements that criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying they were “unbalanced” and did not sufficiently condemn Hamas.
Prospects for Peace
With no end to the fighting in sight, the prospects for a lasting peace between Israel and Hamas appear dim. The two sides have fought three previous wars since 2008 and have been unable to resolve their underlying differences.
Israel says it will not stop its military campaign until Hamas is significantly weakened and can no longer threaten Israeli civilians with rocket fire. Hamas, for its part, says it will continue to resist what it sees as Israeli aggression and occupation of Palestinian land.
Until there is a political solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict, including the blockade of Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the cycle of violence is likely to continue. The international community must step up efforts to broker a ceasefire and bring the two sides back to the negotiating table to work towards a just and lasting peace.
