By Annunthra Rangan
A year after October 7, 2023, the genocide and destruction in Gaza continues. It is clear that the world has failed to check the untold suffering. What hasn’t been done? What cries for justice have gone unheard? How much more can Palestine endure? Entire families, 902 of them, wiped off from the face of the earth—erased as if they never existed. More than 1,20,000 children, innocent and full of life, have had that light brutally extinguished. Over a lakh more have been scarred, maimed and robbed of their futures. Where did it begin, this endless nightmare of violence? When will the world answer for its silence?
The origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict trace back to the late 19th century, when the idea of establishing a homeland for the Jewish people gained traction in Europe, largely as a response to rising anti-Semitism and the persecution faced by Jews. This idea culminated in the establishment of the State of Israel, but it came at a significant cost to the indigenous Palestinian population who had lived in the region for generations.
In 1947, the United Nations adopted Resolution 181, proposing the partition of the British Mandate of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states. The following year on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared, which sparked the first Arab-Israeli War. By 1949, Israel emerged victorious, but approximately 7,50,000 Palestinians were displaced, and the territory was divided into the State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
The decades that followed were marked by escalating tensions, particularly between Israel and its neighbouring states—Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The 1956 Suez Crisis saw Israel invade Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Then, in 1967, after a series mind of diplomatic and military manoeuvres, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike, leading to the Six-Day War. As a result, Israel captured significant territories, including the Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem, Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.
In 1973, the Yom Kippur War saw Egypt and Syria launch a coordinated attack on Israel to reclaim their lost territories. Although the war ended without major territorial changes, it allowed Egypt and Syria to negotiate with Israel, leading to the 1979 Camp David Accords, a peace treaty that ended the prolonged conflict between Egypt and Israel.
While the accords improved Israel’s relations with neighbouring states, they did not address the plight of Palestinians or their demands for self-determination. This led to the first intifada in 1987, as Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip revolted against Israeli rule. The 1993 Oslo Accords, which followed, set up a framework for limited Palestinian self-governance and mutual recognition between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. However, key issues remained unresolved, and violence erupted again during the second intifada from 2000 to 2005. In 2014, hostilities between Israel and Hamas, the de facto ruling authority in Gaza, escalated into a military conflict, resulting in loss of life on both sides. The conflict was temporarily halted with a ceasefire mediated by Egypt, but tensions persisted, contributing to recurring violence.
Under the Donald Trump administration, major shifts in the US policy occurred, including the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the cessation of funding for UN relief efforts for Palestinian refugees. This further strained relations and contributed to unrest, including the protests and rocket fire that followed an eviction ruling in East Jerusalem in May 2021.
In late 2022, Israel’s government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was formed, prioritising the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, adding complexity to the already fragile situation. In October 2023, after attacks launched by Hamas on Israeli territory, more than 1,200 Israelis lost their lives, while in Gaza, thousands of children were reported missing or killed. Mosques and civilian infrastructure were destroyed, intensifying calls for a ceasefire.
In recent months, the conflict has broadened beyond Israel and Gaza, with military actions targeting Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria. The situation has drawn international attention, with countries like Iran voicing their stance on the conflict. Amid the hostilities, Iran has warned of repercussions, although its leader has emphasised they are not seeking direct confrontation. The United Nations Security Council has expressed grave concerns about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the potential for the conflict to escalate into a broader regional war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at a UN Security Council session, emphasised that the Palestinian issue remains central to regional instability. He condemned the situation in Gaza as collective punishment and warned of the broader geopolitical consequences if the conflict continues unchecked.
The international community, facing a rapidly deteriorating situation, is grappling with how to de-escalate tensions while addressing the underlying issues that have fuelled this protracted conflict. Lavrov recently called for the full implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted on August 11, 2006. The resolution demands a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, establishing a demilitarised zone in southern Lebanon, limited to the Lebanese army and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Lavrov criticised the Security Council for inaction, urging it to prioritise the interests of the people of Palestine and Israel over the “short-sighted political calculations” of certain actors. He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and directed criticism toward the US, accusing it of hindering the Council’s efforts. Lavrov suggested that without US support for Israel, the conflict could end swiftly.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi echoed these concerns, highlighting the dire situation in Gaza, characterised by severe suffering due to bombardment, blockade, and deteriorating conditions. Yi warned of a potential regional spillover and urged the Security Council not to remain passive. He supported Palestine’s bid for UN membership and the pursuit of a two-state solution. China also demanded Israel respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and called for a meeting on Gaza’s post-war reconstruction, pressing Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories, as per the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion.
Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf condemned the violence in Gaza, labelling it “genocide” and warned of the potential for a wider regional conflict. He criticised the failure to enforce Security Council resolutions and the ongoing Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.
US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield acknowledged the possibility of “all-out war”, but stressed that diplomacy could still lead to a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. She held Hamas responsible for the failure to reach a ceasefire and condemned Israeli settler violence, calling it unsustainable. She emphasised that peace is not solely in the hands of the Security Council, but requires leadership within the region.
The prolonged conflict in West Asia has broader implications, particularly for global trade. Iran’s missile attacks on Israel and Israel’s operations against Hezbollah have heightened fears of trade disruptions, especially through the Red Sea, a crucial shipping route. Indian exporters, already impacted by rising shipping costs and declining petroleum exports, are bracing for prolonged disruptions. The conflict has also driven up global freight rates, severely affecting industries reliant on low-margin exports.
Despite being one-sided, India’s trade with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has grown, and India’s exports to Iran have also increased. However, disruptions in the Suez Canal and Red Sea routes have forced vessels to take longer paths, leading to higher shipping costs and shrinking profit margins, especially in sectors like textiles, engineering products, and garments.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened severely, with severe shortages of water, fuel, and medical supplies. Many humanitarian organisations have suspended operations following the deaths of aid workers in Israeli airstrikes. Eleven of Gaza’s 35 hospitals remain partially functional, and the World Health Organization has raised concerns over the spread of disease. The displacement of millions of Palestinians poses additional challenges for neighbouring countries like Egypt and Jordan, which have resisted accepting more refugees during this conflict.
A recent UN General Assembly resolution, supported by 124 nations, called on Israel to comply with its legal obligations under international law. India abstained from voting, reflecting its cautious stance, reiterating its support for dialogue and diplomacy as the path forward. The international community has also voiced concern over Israel’s actions against journalists, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting over 110 media workers killed since the conflict began. Despite this, Israel has denied targeting journalists.
The situation remains highly volatile, with global powers grappling with how to de-escalate the conflict and prevent further regional destabilisation. It is long overdue for nations to take a firm diplomatic stand against Israel. The world cannot remain silent while innocent lives are lost. For starters, countries must begin by severing economic ties and refusing to import goods from Tel Aviv. Israel has shown no willingness to engage in ceasefire talks, while Palestinians continue to be slaughtered in thousands every single day. Where is the justice? Where is humanity?
It’s been a year. A year of relentless bloodshed, of families torn apart, of homes destroyed. A year of watching children grow up in a warzone, stripped of their futures before they’ve even begun. The world watches, but will there ever be an answer? How much longer can this suffering go on before we say enough? The pain of a people fighting for survival, for dignity, cannot be ignored any longer. The Nabka has now persisted for 76 years!
—The writer is a Research Officer at Chennai Centre for China Studies. Her research interests constitute China-WANA (West Asia and North Africa) relations and human rights