The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Gaza, the West Bank, and the Regional Arc

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rooted in competing territorial and political claims to the land between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, entered a dramatically more violent phase following Hamas's October 7, 2023 assault on communities in southern Israel. The attack killed at least 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages taken into Gaza (Anti-Defamation League, 2026-04-28). Israel declared a state of war and launched a sustained military campaign in the Gaza Strip that continues into 2026.

Background

Gaza has been governed by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, since 2007, when it seized control from the Palestinian Authority following a brief civil conflict. Israel and Egypt maintain a blockade of the territory, which is home to approximately 2.3 million Palestinians. The West Bank is governed by the Palestinian Authority under the Fatah movement. Sources disagree on the settler population: Peace Now, an Israeli settlement-monitoring NGO, put the West Bank settler population excluding East Jerusalem at 529,704 as of January 2025, while a 2023 UN Human Rights Council briefing cited approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers including East Jerusalem.

Prior conflicts — the 2008–09, 2012, and 2021 Gaza wars — produced ceasefires within weeks. The October 2023 escalation was of a different order, producing Israel's most extensive military mobilization since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Current Situation

Israeli military operations have killed more than 71,000 Palestinians in Gaza according to the territory's Ministry of Health, a toll the Israeli military itself has acknowledged as of late January 2026 (Haaretz, citing IDF acknowledgment of Gaza Ministry of Health data, 2026-01-29), with independent monitors placing the figure above 75,000 by February 2026 (Al Jazeera, 2026-02-18). The UN and humanitarian organizations assess that the vast majority of Gaza's residential, medical, and educational infrastructure has been destroyed or severely damaged. The territory has been under near-total blockade for extended periods, producing famine conditions in the north.

Hostage release negotiations have produced several ceasefire pauses, but no durable agreement. Israeli military operations have targeted Hamas's military wing, tunnel network, and senior leadership — with several high-profile commanders eliminated — but Hamas retains the capacity to conduct guerrilla operations.

Violence in the West Bank has escalated sharply since 2023. Israeli security forces and settlers killed 999 Palestinians between 7 October 2023 and 9 October 2025 (UN OCHA, 2025-10-09); Palestinian armed groups have conducted attacks on Israeli military and settler targets. Israeli settlement construction has accelerated.

Key Actors

Israel's government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-led coalition, has stated an objective of dismantling Hamas's military and governing capacity. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted the operation with tactical air superiority and large ground forces. The inclusion of far-right coalition partners has constrained the government's flexibility in negotiations.

Hamas, formally designated a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, and Israel, retains political leadership in exile in Qatar and a fractured military command inside Gaza. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also operates in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, has limited leverage and credibility in both the Gaza and West Bank contexts.

Regional actors including Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have served as mediators. Iran provides material support to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, positioning the conflict within a broader Iranian regional strategy that also encompasses Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

Outlook

The 'day after' question — who governs Gaza following Israel's military campaign — remains unresolved. The United States, Arab states, and the Palestinian Authority have discussed a technocratic interim governance mechanism, but no agreement exists. Israeli officials have indicated reluctance to allow the Palestinian Authority to reassert control absent significant reforms.

The conflict's resolution is further complicated by Israel's shifting relationship with the broader Arab world, the stalled Abraham Accords framework involving Saudi Arabia, and Iran's regional positioning. Absent a political settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, analysts broadly expect cycles of violence to continue.

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Sources

Every organisation named above, with the date its cited figure was published or last updated.

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