Palestine has been inhabited for thousands of years by various peoples, including the Canaanites-Philistines-Israelites-and others.
Around 1000 BCE-King David and Solomon ruled the ancient Kingdom of Israel with Jerusalem as its capital.
Over time, the region came under the rule of several empires: Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman.
Islamic Rule (7th Century)
In 636 CE, Muslim armies conquered Palestine.
Under the Umayyad and -Abbasid Caliphates- Jerusalem became an important Islamic center.
Famous Islamic landmarks were built, such as:
Al-Aqsa Mosque
Dome of the Rock
Crusades & Ottoman Era
In 1099, Crusaders captured Jerusalem during the First Crusade.Salah al-Din (Saladin) recaptured the city in 1187.
From 1517 to 1917, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire.
🇬🇧 British Mandate & Zionism (1917–1948)
After WWI, Britain took control of Palestine under a League of Nations mandate.
Balfour Declaration (1917): Britain supported a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.
Tensions rose between Arab Palestinians and Jewish immigrants.
🇮🇱 Creation of Israel & the Nakba (1948)
In 1947, the UN proposed to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.
1948: Israel declared independence. Neighboring Arab states invaded.
Over 700,000 Palestinians were displaced – this is known as the Nakba ("Catastrophe").
1967 War & Occupation
In the Six-Day War (1967), Israel captured:West Bank
Gaza Strip
East Jerusalem
These areas are still considered occupied territories under international law.
PLO & Peace Efforts
PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) formed in 1964 to fight for Palestinian rights.First Intifada (1987): Mass uprising against Israeli occupation.Oslo Accords (1993): Limited Palestinian self-rule in parts of the West Bank.Palestinian Authority (PA) was established.
Gaza & Hamas
2006: Hamas won elections and took control of Gaza Strip.
Gaza has been under blockade and subject to multiple wars and conflicts with Israel.
International Recognition
In 1988, the PLO declared an independent State of Palestine.
Over 140 countries now recognize Palestine as a state.
In 2012, Palestine was granted non-member observer state status at the United Nations.
Gaza Strip: Resumed Airstrikes & Humanitarian Crisis :
March 18, 2025: Israel launched a surprise large‑scale aerial and missile offensive, codenamed Operation Might and Sword, marking the collapse of a 42‑day ceasefire. The strikes reportedly killed over 400 Palestinians, including many women and children, and wounded more than 1,800.
The following ground offensive focused on the Netzarim Corridor, with Israeli forces securing areas they had previously evacuated.
The humanitarian aid blockade intensified—Israel cut off food, fuel, and water, and even shut down Gaza’s main desalination plant. The effects were catastrophic: famine risk, disease outbreaks including meningitis, and flour shortages. Bakers shut down and medical services collapsed.
West Bank: Operation “Iron Wall” & Settler Violence
January 21, 2025: Israel initiated Operation Iron Wall, a sweeping military campaign targeting Jenin, Tulkarm, and nearby refugee camps. More than 40,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced, the highest displacement in the region since 1967.
At least 102 militants were killed, 320 arrested, alongside seven civilian deaths. Israel established full military control over Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm camps.
UN agencies, particularly UNICEF and OHCHR, condemned the escalation and reported thirteen Palestinian children killed in early 2025 alone. Schools were disrupted, and infrastructure—water, electricity, housing—suffered grievous damage.
Meanwhile, settler violence surged, with coordinated attacks on villages, homes, farmland, and livestock—often under protection of Israeli forces—leading to destruction, injuries, and further displacement.
Underlying Causes & Key Drivers
Al-Aqsa Escalation in East Jerusalem: Heightened Israeli security measures during Ramadan in early 2025 triggered widespread protests and police violence, inflaming tensions across Palestinian territories.
Settlement Expansion & Evictions: Israeli land grabs and eviction plans—especially in places like Sheikh Jarrah—sparked resistance and drove both street clashes and militant reprisals.
Humanitarian Collapse: Food, Water & Fuel
Since March 2, 2025, Israel imposed a total blockade on aid, triggering a full-scale crisis. Food prices surged by up to 1,400%, bakeries and community kitchens shut down, and aid deliveries halted
According to IPC analysis, 2.1 million people are experiencing severe food insecurity, with about 500,000 (one in five residents) facing catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5)
As of mid-July, at least 122 people (including 83 children) have died of starvation; over 28,000 cases of malnutrition have been documented
Fuel shortages have paralyzed life
Hospitals struggle without generators—only 30% still have fuel; maternity and neonatal care are collapsing. Ambulances remain idle, and water systems are failing due to power loss
Clean water access has dropped sharply—with sanitation failing, diarrhea cases spiked and public health deteriorated
Healthcare & Nutrition Breakdown
Only 22 out of 35 hospitals remain partially operational; 50% of clinics are severely compromised. Healthcare supplies, including essential medicines and diagnostics, are critically low
Between July 9–16, 648 Palestinians were killed and 2,198 injured. Since October 2023, at least 58,573 Palestinians have died from conflict-related causes, including 7,750 deaths since the ceasefire collapse on March 18, 2025Children and women constitute 47% of fatalities, with 17,921 children killed in total; malnutrition cases among children are surging again, with around 4,600 screened in March alone
Displacement & Societal Collapse
Over 430,000 people displaced since mid-March; living conditions are dire, with families sheltering in makeshift tents or public buildings after losing homes and infrastructure
Many are reduced to desperate measures like collecting garbage for food, burning plastic to survive winter, and skipping meals to prioritize children and the elderlyChildren: Crisis Within Crisis
Since October 2023, over 17,000 Palestinian children have died; in just the first week of 2025, at least 74 children were killed
UNICEF reports 66,000 children with severe acute malnutrition (April–May), with 3,000 at imminent risk of starvationMortality is rising among newborns due to hypothermia and lack of medical care; mental health needs are intensifying in this traumatized generation
International Pressure & Aid Response
The U.N. describes a “humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions”—with UN chiefs warning of famine even without formal declaration, as 470,000 people face IPC Phase 5 conditions
Aid agencies criticize sporadic airdrops as symbolic and inadequate; call for lifting the blockade and enabling humanitarian trucking access instead
Sweden and EU officials are pushing to suspend trade agreements with Israel unless aid is permitted; some countries plan to recognize Palestine if no ceasefire is reached soon .
Conclusion :
Despite repeated peace efforts, including the Oslo Accords and international recognition of the Palestinian state, the conflict remains unresolved. The situation in 2025 has reached unprecedented humanitarian and political severity. In Gaza and the West Bank, military operations, displacement, blockade, famine, and settler violence have devastated civilian life—particularly affecting children and the most vulnerable.
The international community faces a moral and legal obligation to support a just and lasting resolution—one that upholds human rights, ensures safety for all civilians, and respects the aspirations of both Palestinians and Israelis.
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