On Oct. 27, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) began ground operations in northern Gaza which continued until the IDF began its actual invasion. Since that invasion there have been many developments, the U.N. human rights chief wants an investigation into IDF actions in Gaza, and possibly the biggest development occurred on Nov.15 when the IDF raided the biggest hospital in the Gaza Strip, Al-Shifa, where Israel has claimed that Hamas has been hiding a base in. Hamas has also claimed they will release 50 hostages if Israel releases Palestinians from Israeli prisons, allows humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, and agrees to a ceasefire.
“Whether or not the conflict continues after the current one depends on the resolution that comes after and if both sides agree on it or not, but I think the current resolution that looks like is going to happen won’t solve much of anything long term,” Civics teacher Patricia Bordenet said.
Whether or not the conflict continues after the current one depends on the resolution that comes after and if both sides agree on it or not, but I think the current resolution that looks like is going to happen won’t solve much of anything long term.”
— Civics teacher Patricia Bordenet
Israel, on Oct. 15 began entering Al-Shifa after clashes outside the hospital with Hamas forces, upon entering the IDF experienced no conflict with any civilians, patients, or staff. On the second day of the storming of Al-Shifa, evidence of Hamas’ presence was recovered in the form of weapons, flak jackets, explosives, and a command center, confirming Israeli claims that the hospital was the main base of Hamas. Since the hospital switched to Israeli control, Israeli medical supplies have reached them. Israel has also begun letting supplies into the Gaza Strip though in limited amounts.
President Joe Biden has refused to call for a cease-fire in Gaza, stating that Hamas represents a continuing threat to Israel. Biden also claims that the IDF has gone about their ground invasion carefully to not cause civilian casualties though he has acknowledged that the Israeli airstrikes were indiscriminate in parts. Israel has dropped leaflets in southern Gaza towns telling civilians to evacuate. Though the civilians are trapped in southern Gaza, if they go north they run into the warzone in the North, if they try to go south Egypt won’t let them across the border, and if they try to flee through the Mediterranean they risk being killed or captured by the Israeli navy blockading the Gaza Strip.
The U.N. human rights chief called for an international investigation into what he described as serious violations of international law in Gaza in the form of high-impact explosive weapons that have caused indiscriminate destruction in Gaza and has been very vocal about his disliking of the Israeli occupation of Gaza. Since the very start of the war with Hamas launching assaults into Israel, 1,200 Israelis have died, along with 11,000 Palestinians, 4,600 of which were children, and another 103 of which were U.N. workers. As the conflict continues to rage, the world can only hope that the fighting will conclude shortly.
