The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has roots in the imperial actions of Britain and France after the World War I. The 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement divided the Ottoman Empire between these powers, with Palestine falling under British control. In 1917, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration, which expressed support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This declaration, along with later international developments, laid the groundwork for the eventual establishment of Israel and its subsequent expansion into Palestinian territories.
Today, the conflict remains defined by violence, land seizures, and severe restrictions on Palestinian rights. Gaza is in a state of extreme devastation, with entire neighborhoods demolished, while the West Bank continues to witness Israeli settlement expansion despite clear violations of international law. The presence of over 600,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank undermines the possibility of a viable two-state solution, pushing the dream of Palestinian statehood further out of reach.
Internationally, Israel is increasingly criticized for its treatment of Palestinians, with organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) accusing the state of apartheid. Some even speculate that Israel’s intelligence failure during the October 7, 2023, attacks, which caught the nation off guard, might have been politically motivated in an attempt to justify future military actions.
Palestinians continue their pursuit of justice through legal avenues, including ongoing investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into war crimes dating back to 2014. Simultaneously, movements like Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) continue to garner global attention, reminiscent of the international solidarity that contributed to the fall of apartheid in South Africa.
Despite these efforts, the path to Palestinian statehood remains uncertain. Historical examples of successful liberation movements in Vietnam, Algeria, and South Africa, however, offer some hope that sustained resistance, diplomacy, and global activism could lead to meaningful change. Geopolitical shifts in the Middle East, including the roles of regional powers could further amplify the Palestinian cause on the world stage.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing increasingly dire. Israel’s war has left over 163,000 buildings in ruins, creating 42 million tons of debris and pushing millions into makeshift shelters without electricity, clean water, or medical care. More than 42,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the past year alone, and Gaza’s infrastructure is virtually non-existent. The removal of rubble, complicated by unexploded ordnance and asbestos, could take years and cost at least USD 700 million, with international aid slow to arrive. As winter approaches, the challenges facing Gaza’s displaced population will only intensify, deepening the suffering of an already desperate people.
Despite mounting global condemnation, accusations of war crimes, and a pending genocide case at the ICC, Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shows no sign of halting its military campaign. The international community’s failure to act decisively, combined with the continued destruction of Palestinian homes, schools, and hospitals, has fueled fears of a wider humanitarian catastrophe, particularly as the conflict threatens to expand into Lebanon and beyond.
As the world watches this tragedy unfold, history serves as a painful reminder that the seeds of today’s crisis were sown by the imperial ambitions of a century ago. Yet, just as history brought us to this moment, it may also offer a path forward—one that requires global commitment, moral courage, and a renewed dedication to justice for the Palestinian people.

Maria Khalid
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