# Understanding the Israel-Gaza Conflict: Background and Context

> The conflict between Israel and Gaza has deep historical roots and complex international dimensions. Here is the essential context.

*Section: World — By Liam Chen (World Affairs Reporter) — Published October 11, 2025 — 1 min read*

Canonical URL: https://dailyjunction.org/world/israel-gaza-conflict-background-context
Tags: israel, gaza, conflict, middle east, history, geopolitics

## Key takeaways

- The conflict has roots in the end of British Mandate Palestine and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
- Gaza has been under Hamas control since 2007
- The 7 October 2023 Hamas attack killed approximately 1,200 Israelis
- International law frameworks on the conflict are disputed and often inconsistently applied

## The historical background

The modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict has roots in the late 19th century Zionist movement, the influx of Jewish immigration to Ottoman and then British Mandate Palestine, and the competing nationalist claims to the same land. The 1948 Arab-Israeli War followed the UN partition plan and Israel's declaration of independence; around 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled — an event Palestinians call the Nakba (catastrophe).

## Gaza specifically

Gaza was administered by Egypt from 1948 until it was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, removing settlements and military forces. Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections in 2006 and took full control of Gaza in 2007. Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade of Gaza since then.

## The 7 October 2023 attack and aftermath

Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Israel declared war and launched a military campaign in Gaza. The humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorated severely during the subsequent conflict, with tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties.

## The international dimensions

Israel receives military and diplomatic support from the United States, though this has been subject to increasing pressure. Many Arab and Global South governments have been more openly critical of Israeli military actions. International humanitarian law has been invoked by multiple parties in disputed ways.

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## Sources

- [BBC News World](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world)
- [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com)
- [Foreign Affairs](https://www.foreignaffairs.com)

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Daily Junction — https://dailyjunction.org/world/israel-gaza-conflict-background-context