The true cause of the Israeli and Gazan war

The conflict between Israel and Gaza, which has seen waves of violence, destruction, and humanitarian crises over the years, is one of the most complicated and enduring geopolitical conflicts of modern times. To understand what caused the war between Israel and Gaza, it’s essential to look at the deep-rooted historical, political, and social factors that have shaped the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over more than a century. The war is not the result of a single cause but a combination of territorial disputes, national identity, historical grievances, and international politics.

Historical Background: The Roots of the Conflict

The origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict trace back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the rise of nationalist movements in both Jewish and Arab communities. Zionism, a movement for the establishment of a Jewish homeland, grew in response to centuries of persecution and anti-Semitism in Europe. At the same time, Arab nationalism emerged in response to Ottoman rule and Western imperialism in the Middle East. Both movements desired control over the same land—historic Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire.

Following World War I, the British took control of Palestine under a League of Nations mandate. The Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which the British government expressed support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, further fueled tensions. Palestinian Arabs, who made up the majority of the population at the time, opposed Jewish immigration and land purchases, seeing them as a threat to their own national aspirations.

By 1947, tensions between Jewish and Arab communities reached a boiling point. The United Nations proposed partitioning Palestine into two states—one for Jews and one for Arabs—but the plan was rejected by the Arab leadership. In 1948, the State of Israel declared independence, leading to the first Arab-Israeli war. Many Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes during the war, an event they refer to as the Nakba, or "catastrophe." This mass displacement created a refugee crisis that still affects millions of Palestinians today.

The Rise of Hamas and the Gaza Strip

The Gaza Strip, a small, densely populated coastal enclave, became a flashpoint in the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict after 1948. Initially controlled by Egypt, Gaza came under Israeli occupation following the Six-Day War in 1967, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Israeli occupation of these territories has been one of the core issues fueling the conflict for decades.

In the late 1980s, during the First Intifada (a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation), Hamas, an Islamist militant group, emerged in Gaza as a powerful political and military force. Hamas opposed Israel’s existence and rejected any peace process, positioning itself as an alternative to the secular Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Over time, Hamas gained significant support in Gaza due to its hardline stance against Israel and its social services to impoverished Palestinians.

In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its settlers and military forces from Gaza, but this did not bring peace. Hamas won a parliamentary election in 2006, and by 2007, it had taken control of Gaza in a violent conflict with the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. Since then, Hamas has governed Gaza, while Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade, citing security concerns over Hamas’ military capabilities, including rocket attacks and cross-border tunnels used to carry out attacks on Israeli targets.

Key Causes of the War Between Israel and Gaza

1. Territorial Disputes: One of the fundamental causes of the conflict is the question of land. Palestinians seek an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as their capital, but Israel's continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank has made this increasingly difficult. Gaza, while technically not occupied by Israel anymore, is still heavily controlled by Israel’s border policies, contributing to the feeling of Palestinian entrapment.

2. The Role of Hamas: As a militant group that controls Gaza, Hamas plays a central role in the conflict. It has launched thousands of rockets into Israel, while Israel has responded with airstrikes and military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas’ military infrastructure. Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist, and its charter originally called for Israel’s destruction, making any lasting peace agreement with Israel difficult.

3.Israeli Military Strikes and Blockades: The blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt has crippled Gaza's economy and restricted the flow of goods, services, and people in and out of the territory. This blockade is seen by many Palestinians as collective punishment, while Israel views it as a necessary measure to prevent arms smuggling and rocket attacks. Israeli military operations in Gaza, often launched in response to Hamas rocket attacks, result in significant civilian casualties and devastation, deepening resentment and anger on both sides.

4. Cycles of Violence and Retaliation: Each round of conflict between Israel and Gaza tends to follow a familiar pattern—Hamas fires rockets into Israel, Israel responds with airstrikes, leading to casualties on both sides, but disproportionately affecting Gaza’s civilian population due to its densely packed urban areas. These cycles of violence have resulted in high death tolls and destruction but little to no progress toward peace.

5. International Politics: The broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the war in Gaza, is deeply influenced by international politics. The United States has historically been a staunch ally of Israel, providing military aid and diplomatic support. In contrast, many Arab and Muslim-majority countries, while not uniformly supporting Hamas, have criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza and supported Palestinian statehood. These divisions have made it difficult for the international community to broker lasting peace.

Conclusion

The war between Israel and Gaza is the result of decades of historical grievances, territorial disputes, and entrenched political positions. The rise of Hamas in Gaza, combined with Israel’s military responses and blockades, has created a cycle of violence that has been difficult to break. Peace remains elusive, as both sides continue to suffer from deep-seated mistrust, competing national narratives, and the absence of a viable solution that addresses the needs and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.