The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a long history that dates back to the early 20th century. Here are some key events and recent developments:

• In the 1920s and 1940s, the number of Jews arriving in Palestine grew, with many fleeing from persecution in Europe and seeking a homeland after the Holocaust of World War Two. Violence between Jews and Arabs, and against British rule, also grew. In 1947, the UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem becoming an international city. That plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by the Arab side and never implemented.

• On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was created, sparking the first Arab-Israeli War. The war ended in 1949 with Israel’s victory, but 750,000 Palestinians were displaced, and the territory was divided into 3 parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River), and the Gaza Strip.

• In the summer of 2014, clashes in the Palestinian territories precipitated a military confrontation between the Israeli military and Hamas in which Hamas fired nearly three thousand rockets at Israel, and Israel retaliated with a major offensive in Gaza. The skirmish ended in late August 2014 with a cease-fire deal brokered by Egypt, but only after 73 Israelis and 2,251 Palestinians were killed.

• In March and May of 2018, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip conducted weekly demonstrations at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The final protest coincided with the seventieth anniversary of the Nakba, the Palestinian exodus that accompanied Israeli independence.

• In May 2021, tensions increased throughout East Jerusalem, compounded by the celebration of Jerusalem Day. On May 10, after several consecutive days of violence throughout Jerusalem and the use of lethal and nonlethal force, Hamas fired rockets into Israel, and Israel responded with airstrikes. The conflict escalated into an 11-day war, which ended with a ceasefire on May 21.

• In October 2023, Hamas carried out a terrorist attack, and Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza. The violence has since escalated, with Israeli fighter jets hitting over 1,000 targets, including residential buildings and mosques. Clashes have also been reported in the West Bank, with at least 11 people killed in the fighting involving three armed clashes between Palestinian militants and Israelis, two attempted knife attacks, and shooting at unarmed Palestinians engaged in rioting.

The conflict has had a devastating impact on the lives of Palestinians and Israelis alike. Human rights organizations have accused Israel of committing war crimes and violating international law in its treatment of Palestinians.