The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has its roots in the late 19th and early 20th century, with competing national claims over the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The State of Israel was established in 1948; the resulting war displaced approximately 700,000 Palestinians (the Nakba). Subsequent wars in 1967, 1973 and further cycles of violence shaped the current configuration: Israeli control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem (occupied since 1967), and Hamas control of the Gaza Strip since 2007.
On 7 October 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack from Gaza into southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. It was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. Israel declared war and launched an extensive military campaign in Gaza. By July 2026, the Gaza Health Ministry — whose figures the Israeli military has described as approximately accurate while disputing the combatant/civilian breakdown — reported over 47,000 killed. The IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) declared famine conditions in Gaza in August 2025, disputed by Israel. The UN documented systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid, condemned in a Security Council resolution in July 2026.