The devastating war in Gaza will enter its second year on October 7, 2024, claiming the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians and displacing millions more, with no apparent end in sight.
Since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, the conflict has spread across the region to involve Iranian-backed militias, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other groups in Iraq and Syria.
Furthermore, the fighting has expanded into Lebanon, with Iran launching retaliatory drone and missile strikes against Israel, raising fears over a direct confrontation between the longtime foes, which could drag the US and other regional players.
Mounting Humanitarian Crisis
The brutal Israeli bombardment of Gaza has caused a dire humanitarian crisis in the Strip. According to the latest figures of the Gaza Health Ministry, the war has claimed the lives of 41,825 Palestinians, including more than 16,000 children and 11,000 women. Victims also include humanitarian workers and journalists.
Moreover, 96,910 Palestinians have been wounded, 60% of them are women, children, and elderly people. The fighting has caused widespread devastation in the enclave and forced nearly 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people to flee their homes at least once.
In addition, the ongoing war has put Gaza on the brink of famine amid a polio outbreak. Humanitarian groups struggle to deliver aid due to the ongoing fighting and Israeli restrictions.
According to Axios, Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have damaged or destroyed nearly 60% of buildings in Gaza, as of September 25, 2024.
Diplomatic Efforts
Many countries, mainly Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and the US, have pushed for a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza and return Israeli hostages home. However, all negotiations have proved futile after multiple rounds of ceasefire talks.
On September 27, 2024, Saudi Arabia announced the launching of the “International Coalition for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution” to end the ongoing war in Gaza and resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, by implementing a two-state solution that establishes an independent Palestinian state.
The Trigger of Gaza War
The conflict in Gaza started with an attack that caught Israel by surprise. Hamas fighters infiltrated into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 others back to Gaza as hostages.
In response, Israel declared the state of war and launched airstrikes in Gaza on October 8, followed by a total siege of the Strip and a ground invasion to “eradicate Hamas” and return the hostages.
The Israeli strikes involved targeting Gaza’s hospitals, including Al Shifa complex, the largest hospital in Gaza, sparking outrage across the region. Within weeks, all hospitals serving the northern half of Gaza stopped operating.
Temporary Truce
On November 24, Israel and Hamas announced a temporary ceasefire, which extended for a week, to exchange women and children hostages in Gaza for Palestinian women and children prisoners on security grounds, and allow in more aid.
The war resumed on December 1, with Israel launching its first big ground offensive in southern Gaza, on the outskirts of Khan Yunis. The heavy Israeli bombing has killed many Israeli hostages.
Houthis Involvement
The Houthi, an Iranian-backed militia in Yemen, has been targeting international shipping at the Red Sea since November 2023, in solidarity with Gaza. So far, they have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships crossing the Red Sea, sinking two vessels and seizing another, according to Reuters.
In response to the disruption in international trade, the US and the UK launched dozens of airstrikes in Yemen, targeting Houthis infrastructure.
Furthermore, the Houthis have launched several missiles on Israel, while Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria targeted US troops and bases in the region.
Iran Provocation
On April 1, 2024, Israel launched an airstrike on Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing two Iranian senior commanders in the first major escalation of tensions.
This attack has prompted Iran to respond with a barrage of missiles and drones against Israel on April 13. Although most of these missiles and drones were intercepted, Israel retaliated by striking a number of targets in Iran, including near a nuclear site in Isfahan.
Escalation with Hezbollah
The cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been on the rise since the start of the Gaza war, as both sides have exchanged fires. However, in July 27, 2024, Hezbollah launched a rocket on a soccer field in Majdal Shams, in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights, killing 12 children.
Despite Hezbollah’s denial of any involvement in the attack, the Israeli military launched a retaliatory strike near Beirut, on July 30, which killed Hezbollah senior commander, Fuad Shukr, an Iranian military adviser, and five civilians.
Then, on July 31, Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran, in what appeared to be an Israeli airstrike.
In August, Israel carried out what it called were “pre-emptive” airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Lebanese group responded by launching hundreds of rockets at northern Israel, in retaliation for Shukr’s killing.
Tensions further escalated in mid-September, when a wave of explosions hit pager and walkie-talkie devices used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 3,000. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attack.
Invading Lebanon
With tensions mounting, Israel eliminated Hezbollah senior commanders in a series of airstrikes, killing the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, on September 27.
By the end of the same month, Israeli troops have begun a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah sites.
Striking Israel
In the biggest escalation so far, Iran launched around 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel on October 1, 2024, in retaliation for Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah.
Iran’s state media claimed that 90% of the missiles hit their targets, including Nevatim, Hatzerim and Tel Nof airbases, as well as Israeli tanks in Netzarim and gas installations in the southern city of Ashkelon, according to BBC.
Meanwhile, an Israeli military spokesman said “the majority of the incoming missiles were intercepted by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the United States.”
Israel has vowed revenge against Iran. The Israeli military Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, said: “We will choose when to exact the price and demonstrate our precise and surprising offensive capabilities.”
Media reports indicated that Israel’s response could target oil production facilities inside Iran and other strategic sites, including its nuclear facilities.
In turn, Iran warned that its response would be “crushing” if Israel retaliated.
