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Arab-Israeli conflicts

Israeli Violence in Gaza: A Growing Crisis with Lasting Impact

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Senior officials from Donald Trump's US administration are due to arrive in Israel in a bid to salvage the Gaza ceasefire, but the scale of the ongoing violence perpetrated by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) is becoming increasingly clear. Since the ceasefire was announced 10 days ago, Israel has broken it at least 80 times, resulting in the deaths of at least 97 Palestinians and the wounding of 230 more. Two Israeli soldiers have also been killed, with Israel blaming Hamas for the breach. However, the presence of Israeli-backed Palestinian militia groups in Gaza makes it difficult to determine who is responsible for each incident. Meanwhile, 10,800 Palestinians, including 450 children, remain detained in Israel, with a third of those held without trial.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have broken the ceasefire at least 80 times, resulting in the deaths of 97 Palestinians and the wounding of 230 more.
  • Two Israeli soldiers have been killed, with Israel accusing Hamas of violating the truce, although the presence of Israeli-backed Palestinian militia groups in Gaza makes it unclear who is responsible.
  • 10,800 Palestinians, including 450 children, are still being held in detention in Israel, with a third of those being held without trial.
  • Israel has paused aid deliveries into Gaza over an alleged Hamas ceasefire violation, with some crossings reportedly reopened to aid convoys on Monday, October 19.
  • The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and his allies appear to be working against the ceasefire, with Trump administration officials set to arrive in Israel in a bid to salvage the agreement.
  • Public support for Israel in the US has declined since the start of its actions in Gaza, but remains strong among Evangelical Christians, who account for nearly a third of the US population and are more likely to vote than the average citizen.
  • International support for Palestinians, including in the US, has grown over the past two years, with widespread and sustained protests taking place around the globe.
  • Israel's actions have resulted in the destruction of over 80% of Gaza's pre-2023 croplands, with more than 80% of its tree cover lost, and the water crisis in Gaza has been exacerbated by the destruction of Gaza's sewage treatment plants and desalination plants.
  • A study by the International Federation for Human Rights notes that there has been a "worrying shift towards the normalisation of exceptional measures in dealing with dissenting voices" in the US, UK, France, and Germany over the past two years.

Statistics:

  • Since the ceasefire was announced 10 days ago, Israel has broken it at least 80 times.
  • At least 97 Palestinians have been killed and 230 more wounded in the ongoing violence.
  • 10,800 Palestinians, including 450 children, remain detained in Israel, with a third of those being held without trial.
  • Israel has paused aid deliveries into Gaza over an alleged Hamas ceasefire violation.
  • Over 80% of Gaza's pre-2023 croplands have been damaged or destroyed.
  • More than 80% of Gaza's tree cover has been lost.
  • Only 50% of the World Health Organisation's emergency minimum of daily water is currently available to each person in Gaza.
  • The IDF destroyed Gaza's sewage treatment plants after the Hamas attacks in October 2023, diverting sewage into lagoons and increasing the risk of water-borne disease spread.

Sources:

  • Gaza Government Media Office
  • Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
  • International Federation for Human Rights
  • BBC News
  • The Guardian
  • Al Jazeera

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