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The core aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict include Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in occupied territories, borders, security, access to water resources, freedom of movement for Palestinians, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
Historical Context:
The conflict traces back to the late 19th century with the rise of Zionism in Europe — a movement aiming to establish a Jewish state through the colonization of Palestine. Zionism gained the support of Britain, an imperial power at the time, which expressed its endorsement in the 1917 Balfour Declaration, calling for the creation of a “Jewish homeland” in Palestine. After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Britain transformed former Ottoman lands into the Mandate of Palestine. Increasing Jewish immigration led to tensions between Jews and Arabs, eventually escalating into intercommunal conflict. In 1936, Palestinians launched a revolt demanding independence and an end to British support for Zionism, which was violently suppressed by Britain. Rising tensions led to the UN’s 1947 Partition Plan for Palestine, which in turn triggered civil war.
Following the 1948 war, over half of the Arab Palestinian population was forced to flee their homes. At the end of the war, the State of Israel was established on territory previously administered by the League of Nations, while the Gaza Strip and the West Bank were handed to Egypt and Jordan, respectively. After the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel gained control of what are collectively referred to as the Palestinian Territories. Two Palestinian uprisings (the First and Second Intifadas) occurred in 1987 and 2000 in response to the occupation. Under occupation, Israel began constructing illegal settlements, instituting a system of systemic discrimination against Palestinians — a system widely described by international analysts as Israeli apartheid. This discrimination includes denying Palestinian refugees their right to return and reclaim property. Israel’s actions have repeatedly drawn international criticism for human rights violations.
Since the 1980s, the international community (excluding the U.S. and Israel) has reached a consensus that a peaceful resolution should be based on the two-state solution along 1967 borders and a just solution for Palestinian refugees. The U.S. and Israel, however, favor bilateral negotiations over solutions grounded in international law. In recent years, support for a two-state solution has declined, and Israel’s official policy increasingly aims to maintain the occupation. In 2007, Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza and officially declared that Gaza should be separated from the West Bank. Since then, Israel has treated Gaza not within the framework of occupation law but as a matter of the laws of war. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice rejected Israel’s position, ruling that the Palestinian territories constitute a single political entity and that Israel continues to illegally occupy both the West Bank and Gaza. The Court also found that Israel’s policies violate the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Since 2006, multiple wars have occurred between Hamas and Israel. Following Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, another war broke out. Experts in international law, genocide researchers, and human rights organizations have characterized Israel’s actions in Gaza as “acts of genocide.”
Current Situation:
Apartheid Allegations and International Assessments:
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice concluded that Israel’s policies violate the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. As of 2022, all major international human rights organizations agreed that Israeli actions amount to the crime of apartheid. In April 2021, Human Rights Watch published a report titled A Threshold Crossed, stating that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza constitutes apartheid. Amnesty International released a similar report on February 1, 2022, titled Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime Against Humanity.
In 2018, Israel’s parliament passed the so-called Nation-State Law, which Israeli legal group Adalah described as “an apartheid law.” International organizations have stated that this law constitutionally enshrines Jewish supremacy and defines Israel exclusively as the nation-state of the Jewish people. It is a “basic law,” giving it a quasi-constitutional status. The law states that the right to national self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish people.
Occupied Palestinian Territories:
Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has controlled the Palestinian territories — the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip — constituting the longest military occupation in modern history. In 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that these territories form a single political unit and that Israel’s occupation, settlement expansion, and exploitation of natural resources violate international law. The Court also concluded that Israel must provide full reparations to the Palestinian people for the harm caused.
Many Palestinians assert their full right to the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Israel argues that these territories are subject to negotiation due to security concerns and the absence of peace talks. Palestinians view this as a denial of their rights. In 2017, Hamas declared that it would support a Palestinian state along 1967 borders, though without recognizing Israel.
Israeli Settlements:
The international community considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes. Proponents of settlement legality often cite clauses in the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN Security Council resolutions. Settlements frequently involve the confiscation of Palestinian land, resulting in forced displacement and conflict. These areas are usually heavily controlled by the Israeli army, “protected,” and often become flashpoints of violence. Settlements fragment Palestinian land, restrict economic development, and impede freedom of movement. Amnesty International notes that settlements deprive Palestinian towns of essential resources such as land and water and impose movement restrictions under the guise of security.
In a 2014 report covering 2011–2013, Amnesty International stated that Israeli forces used “reckless violence” in the West Bank and in some cases carried out deliberate killings that may amount to war crimes. 261 Palestinians (including 67 children) were severely injured by live ammunition. During the same period, 45 Palestinians, including 6 children, were killed. In 25 assessed cases, Amnesty found no evidence that the victims posed any threat at the time. Meanwhile, over 8,000 Palestinians were severely injured by other means, including rubber-coated bullets. Only one Israeli soldier was prosecuted for killing a Palestinian — he received a demotion and a one-year suspended sentence. The Israeli military responded that it “maintains high professional standards” and investigates when necessary.
Gaza Separation and Blockade Policy:
Since 2006, Israel has pursued a policy of separating Gaza from the West Bank, enforcing strict restrictions on imports, exports, and movement — intensified after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Israel designates Gaza as a “hostile territory” and portrays the blockade as a security measure. However, international and human rights organizations view it as collective punishment that violates Palestinians’ fundamental rights. Israeli officials openly stated that the goal was economic pressure to collapse Gaza’s economy while maintaining a “humanitarian minimum.”
The blockade led to the collapse of the private sector, increased unemployment, and deepened poverty. By 2010, exports had nearly ceased, and import restrictions were eased only gradually in the following years. Despite formal relaxation of some restrictions, the economic and humanitarian situation has not significantly improved. The UN and human rights organizations maintain that the blockade violates international humanitarian law and obstructs Palestinian socio-economic development.
Current Developments:
On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led armed groups launched a surprise attack on Israel, resulting in 1,195 deaths, including 815 civilians, and 251 hostages taken. Since the war began in Gaza, over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than half of them women and children. Over 110,000 have been wounded. A study published in The Lancet concluded that by June 2024, deaths due to traumatic injuries may have reached 64,260, though the actual number is likely higher when considering indirect effects. Israel’s tightening of the Gaza blockade has led to an extreme food crisis, which by mid-2025 resulted in alarmingly high levels of hunger.