On October 7th, 2023, a war broke out between Israel and the governing body of the Gaza Strip, called Hamas. The Gaza Strip is a piece of land upholstered between Israel and the Mediterranean Sea, that has been the center of political and militant conflict in the Middle East since the late 40s.

Hamas, also known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a Palestinian political organization that has launched attacks on areas of Israel near the Gaza Strip. The strip of land has been stuck between the two bickering countries for decades now, with high tensions from both sides. The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, harboring over 2 million inhabitants in just about 365 square km, or 140 square miles. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States.

Israel’s establishment in 1948, in land that was previously known as Palestinian territory, forced over 750,000 inhabitants to flee to the Strip. In 2005, Israel withdrew troops and citizens from the Strip. Hamas took it over in 2007 by force and since then no election has been held in Gaza. 

When Hamas launched an attack on the neighboring country of Israel this October, over 1,200 Israelis were left dead, 2,700 more wounded. The Israeli military countered with retaliatory air strikes over the Gaza Strip, leaving over 900 inhabitants dead and around 4,500 wounded, all over the weekend of the 7th. 

Hamas has also kidnapped between 100-150 people, according to Israel’s United Nations ambassador, Gilad Erdan. Many have evacuated the Strip, and the Israeli military told the U.N. that the northern half of the Gaza Strip should be evacuated, as that is where the largest city on the Strip, Gaza City lies.

In the United States, protests and riots have broken out across the country. Almost 50 people were arrested outside the White House after a pro-Palestinian protest broke out.

In Chicago, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy was fatally stabbed 26 times by his mother’s landlord for the sole reason of being Muslim. His mother was stabbed too. President Biden is making a trip to Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden has taken a strong pro-Israel stance since the beginning of the attacks.

The original attacks on the 7th have been the deadliest attacks on Jewish people since the Holocaust. 31 American citizens have been killed in the attacks.