Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have been at warfare since early October.
It started when Hamas gunmen launched an unprecedented assault on Israel from Gaza – the deadliest in Israel's historical past.
An Israeli army marketing campaign adopted, killing 1000’s in Palestinian territory.
What occurred throughout the Hamas assaults on Israel?
On the morning of October 7, waves of Hamas gunmen stormed throughout the Gaza border into Israel, killing greater than 1,200 folks. Hamas additionally fired 1000’s of rockets.
These killed included kids, the aged and 364 youths at a music pageant.
Hamas has taken greater than 250 others in Gaza as hostages.
The BBC additionally noticed proof of rape and sexual violence throughout Hamas assaults.
What’s Hamas and why is it combating Israel?
Hamas turned the only real ruler of Gaza after violently expelling political rivals in 2007.
It has an armed wing and was thought to have 30,000 fighters earlier than the beginning of the warfare.
The group, whose identify means Islamic Resistance Motion, needs to create an Islamic state rather than Israel. Hamas rejects Israel's proper to exist and is dedicated to its destruction.
Hamas has justified its assault as a response to what it calls Israeli crimes towards the Palestinian folks.
These embody safety raids on Islam's third holiest website – the al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem – and Jewish settlement exercise within the occupied West Financial institution.
Hamas additionally needs 1000’s of Palestinian prisoners in Israel to be launched and for an finish to the blockade of the Gaza Strip by Israel and Egypt – one thing each international locations say is for safety.
He has fought a number of wars with Israel since taking energy, fired 1000’s of missiles and carried out different lethal assaults.
Israel has repeatedly attacked Hamas with airstrikes and despatched troops to Gaza in 2008 and 2014.
Hamas, or in some circumstances simply its armed wing, is taken into account a terrorist group by Israel, america, the EU and the UK, amongst others.
Iran helps Hamas with funding, weapons and coaching.
Why is Israel combating in Gaza?
Israel instantly started an enormous marketing campaign of airstrikes on targets in Gaza, in response to the assault by Hamas
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Israel's targets had been the destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages.
Israel launched a floor invasion three weeks later. It additionally bombarded Gaza from the ocean.
The assaults had been initially targeted on northern Gaza, notably Gaza Metropolis and the tunnels beneath it, which Israel mentioned had been the middle of Hamas' army operations.
All 1.1 million folks dwelling within the north have been ordered by Israel to evacuate the south for his or her security.
After a brief truce in late November, the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) mentioned it was increasing floor operations in southern Gaza.
Troops reached the center of the second-largest metropolis, Khan Younis, the place the IDF mentioned it believed Hamas commanders had been hiding. The IDF has additionally pushed into refugee camps in central Gaza.
Lots of of 1000’s of displaced folks from the north had been compelled to maneuver additional south.
Israel says it plans to invade the southern city of Rafah, the place about 1.5m have flocked to flee combating elsewhere.
Greater than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed and tens of 1000’s injured by Israeli strikes because the begin of the warfare, in keeping with Gaza's well being ministry, which is run by Hamas. He says most had been girls and youngsters.
The IDF says it killed about 9,000 Hamas fighters, along with greater than 1,000 of the attackers in Israel. He didn’t say how he arrived at this determine.
Israel says greater than 230 of its troopers have been killed in Gaza.
Properties and different buildings in Gaza suffered quite a lot of injury and destruction.
Who’re the hostages and what number of have been launched?
Many of the 253 males, girls and youngsters kidnapped by Hamas had been civilians.
They included the aged and people with disabilities and medical circumstances. The youngest was 9 months outdated.
In Gaza, Hamas hid them in tunnels and fighters' homes. Unconfirmed studies recommend that some had been held by different militant teams.
In the course of the November truce, 105 hostages (81 Israelis and twin nationals, and 24 foreigners) had been launched in trade for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
4 hostages had beforehand been launched by Hamas and three rescued by the IDF – one on October 29 and two on February 12.
Three hostages had been by accident killed by Israeli troops who mistook them for Hamas fighters.
What is going on to the civilians and hospitals in Gaza?
Israel lower off meals, water and gas provides to strain Hamas to launch hostages.
It has led to critical hardship among the many inhabitants of Gaza.
Israel has since allowed humanitarian support, drugs and restricted quantities of gas.
Nonetheless, the quantity of support coming into Gaza is effectively under pre-war ranges.
The UN accused Israel of obstructing the supply of support, whereas Israel blamed the UN for hassle.
The UN described the state of affairs in Gaza as “horrendous”, with shelters overflowing, and meals and water operating out. He additionally warned of a rising threat of famine.
Gaza's well being system is in a state of collapse.
Solely 16 of its 36 hospitals are partially open.
They’re overwhelmed by the large variety of wounded and are scuffling with a scarcity of workers, medical provides, meals, gas and water.
The place is the Gaza Strip and the way massive is it?
The Gaza Strip is a territory 41 km (25 mi) lengthy and 10 km huge between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
Beforehand occupied by Egypt, Gaza was captured by Israel throughout the 1967 Six-Day Conflict.
Israel withdrew its troops and about 7,000 settlers from the territory in 2005.
Residence to 2.2 million folks, it is among the most densely populated locations on the planet.
Simply over three-quarters of Gaza's inhabitants are registered refugees, or descendants of refugees, the UN says.
Israel controls the airspace over Gaza, its coast and its shared border, and restricts the motion of individuals and items.
What’s Palestine?
The West Financial institution and Gaza are referred to as the Palestinian territories.
Together with East Jerusalem and Israel, they shaped a part of the land referred to as Palestine from Roman occasions till the center of the twentieth century.
In 1948, a part of Palestine turned Israel, which was acknowledged by the UN the next 12 months.
The West Financial institution – together with East Jerusalem – and Gaza are acknowledged as Palestine by many international locations and our bodies, though it doesn’t have the standing of a member of the UN.
Those that don’t acknowledge Israel's proper to exist discuss with your complete West Financial institution, Jerusalem, Gaza and Israel as Palestine.
The UN considers the West Financial institution and Gaza as a single territory occupied by Israel.
Nonetheless, the 2 areas are run by rival Palestinian administrations.
The West Financial institution is ruled by the Palestinian Authority (PA), underneath President Mahmoud Abbas, and Israel has total management. The PA formally acknowledges Israel. Hamas, in Gaza, doesn’t acknowledge Israel.
What’s the two-state resolution?
The way forward for the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem is among the most troublesome points within the Israeli-Palestinian battle.
An internationally supported peace plan is named the “two-state resolution”.
It could imply an impartial Palestinian state within the West Financial institution and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel.
Israel's most essential ally, america, sees a two-state resolution as the way in which ahead as soon as the Gaza warfare ends.
A two-state resolution can also be formally supported by the PA.
Nonetheless, since 1967, Israel has constructed roughly 140 settlements housing roughly 700,000 Jews within the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem.
The settlements are thought-about unlawful by a lot of the remainder of the world, though Israel disputes this.
The PA insists that each one settlements should be eliminated as a part of any future peace deal.
The thought of a two-state resolution has by no means been formally favored by Israel, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly acknowledged his opposition.
He says Israel should preserve full management of safety within the West Financial institution and Gaza.
