Ceasefire agreement comes after 15 months of warfare between Hamas and Israel.
Background of Current Conflict
- On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israel under Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
- It prompted Israel to declare war against Hamas and subsequent military operations in Gaza.
Historical Context
The current conflict between Hamas and Israel could be traced to splitting of Palestinian territory and recognition of Israel states by Arabs:
- Splitting of Palestine
- During WWII, large numbers of Jews migrated to Palestine and demanded statehood.
- In 1947, the UN proposed splitting Palestine between Arabs and Jews which led to 4 major wars between Arab and Israel as:
- Jews accepted and declared Israel's independence in 1948.
- Arabs rejected the plan, leading to multiple wars.
- 1978 Camp David Accords and Recognition of Israel
- Yom Kippur or Ramadan War of 1973 was the 4th Arab-Israel war fought between Israel and Arabs (led by Egypt and Syria).
- It led to Camp David Accords in 1978 which marked the first instance of an Arab country recognising Israel as a state (Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt).
- 1993 Oslo Accord and Hamas Opposition of recognition of Israel
- Hamas violently opposes Oslo Peace Accords under which PLO formally recognised Israel and Israel allowed Palestinians some form of limited self-governance in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Founded in 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) sits at the UN as a non-member state, of Palestine.
- Hamas is a Militant organization that politically controls Gaza Strip and does not recognise Israel’s statehood.
- Hamas violently opposes Oslo Peace Accords under which PLO formally recognised Israel and Israel allowed Palestinians some form of limited self-governance in Gaza and the West Bank.
