On Oct. 7, 2023, Israel declared war on Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, following an unexpected attack by Hamas that hit Israel earlier that morning.
As of the writing of this article, it is estimated that the attack had left more than 900 dead, while Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed more than 560 people. In addition to the many deaths that occurred, there have also been hostages taken, with Hamas stating they took more than 100 hostages.
Hamas broke through a strong border fence to get into Israel. Hundreds of civilians, soldiers, and hostages were killed by the Hamas gunmen. On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had retaken control of all the Israel communities in Gaza’s vicinity on its southern border.
Israel responded by killing hundreds of people, including 500 in Gaza. The IDF urged Israel and Gaza to shut down all connections between them for their safety. They did not listen, and Israel hit Gaza with airstrikes, creating a more physical war.
The cause of this war is from a previous conflict from both Gaza’s and Israel’s rulers. According to NBC Chicago, Palestinians are “in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza” and “Hamas also has cited the expansion of Jewish settlements on lands Palestinians claim for a future state.”
As this situation continues to develop, and the war expands between Israel and Hamas, hundreds of people are dying, and so many more are put in danger.
