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.