The 5 Ws
issue overview & course connections
- Where?
- Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.
- Who?
- Israel (the IDF and government), Hamas, Palestinian civilians, the Palestinian Authority (Fatah), the US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UN, EU, Iran, and Hezbollah.
- When?
- Began in 1948; the current war phase began on October 7, 2023. A ceasefire was announced in October 2025 and remains ongoing as of June 2026.
- Why?
- Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,300 people and taking hostages. Underlying causes include decades of disputed land, occupation, blockade, and failed peace negotiations over Palestinian statehood.
- How?
- Hamas used rockets and ground infiltration; Israel responded with a full-scale military invasion, air strikes, siege tactics, and blockades. The US, Qatar, and Egypt mediated a ceasefire and a twenty-point peace framework.
Key Stakeholders
Israel / IDF
Seeking security, hostage return, and dismantlement of Hamas.
Hamas
Governing/militant group in Gaza; seeking Israeli withdrawal and Palestinian rights.
Palestinian Civilians
Bearing the greatest humanitarian burden — ~70,000+ deaths and 90% displaced.
Palestinian Authority (Fatah)
Governing the West Bank; holding its first party conference in a decade.
United States
Primary mediator and arms supplier to Israel; brokered the ceasefire framework.
Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia
Regional mediators.
UN / EU / World Bank
Humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.
Iran / Hezbollah / Houthis
Backing Hamas and broadening regional conflict.
Contributing Factors
Social
- ✶Decades of displacement and trauma on both sides.
- ✶Deep mistrust between Israeli and Palestinian communities.
- ✶Hamas embedding fighters in civilian areas, complicating military responses.
Cultural
- ✶Competing claims to Jerusalem and holy sites.
- ✶Jewish historical/religious ties to the land versus Palestinian Arab identity.
- ✶The Nakba remains a defining cultural wound for Palestinians.
Economic
- ✶Israeli/Egyptian blockade creating poverty and aid dependency in Gaza.
- ✶Hamas controlling aid distribution as political leverage.
- ✶Repeated conflicts destroying economic infrastructure.
Political
- ✶The Hamas vs. Fatah internal Palestinian political split.
- ✶Far-right Israeli coalition expanding West Bank settlements.
- ✶Iran funding and arming Hamas and regional proxy groups.
Environmental
- ✶94% of Gaza's hospitals damaged or destroyed.
- ✶Famine conditions from aid blockades.
- ✶Displacement of 1.9 million people overwhelming basic infrastructure.
Implications
Social
- ✶~70,000 civilian deaths and 90% of Gaza's population displaced.
- ✶Targeting of journalists and aid workers undermining accountability.
- ✶Generational psychological trauma on both sides.
Cultural
- ✶Destruction of schools, mosques, and cultural sites.
- ✶Rising antisemitism and Islamophobia globally.
- ✶Erasure of community life across Gaza.
Economic
- ✶$71.4 billion estimated reconstruction cost.
- ✶Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping disrupting global trade.
- ✶Long-term economic paralysis in Gaza with limited recovery under the ceasefire.
Political
- ✶Fragile ceasefire with unresolved key issues.
- ✶Netanyahu ordering seizure of 70% of Gaza beyond ceasefire terms.
- ✶Potential UN international governance mandate for Gaza post-2027.
- ✶Israel–Iran direct military conflict reshaping the regional order.
Environmental
- ✶Destruction of Gaza's physical infrastructure.
- ✶Soil and water contamination from sustained bombing.
- ✶Long-term public health crisis with only ~2,000 hospital beds remaining.
Bias
Source Bias
Written by the Council on Foreign Relations, a US organization with close ties to US foreign policy circles. While it presents both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, it relies almost exclusively on Western sources (Reuters, NYT, UN), potentially underrepresenting Palestinian viewpoints. It also does not critically examine the US's dual role as mediator and major arms supplier to Israel.