On Saturday, Israeli soldiers found the bodies of six hostagesPeople who are being held against their will in order to force their country or family to do as the hostage-taker wishes. in GazaThe smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt. . They were taken by Hamas during its 7 OctoberOn 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking more than one hundred hostages. attacks on IsraelA country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the modern period. It is seen by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land. last year.

Many Israelis are angry they were not brought home alive.

Some Israelis blame their leader, Benjamin NetanyahuThe prime minister of Israel. , for failing to bring the hostages home in a deal with Hamas. At one point, they were set to be released in July.

But others say that only Hamas is to blame for their deaths.

How did this all begin? In 1948, Israeli forces conqueredOvercome and take control over. most of what had been the British colonyAn area or country under the control of another nation. of Mandatory PalestineA British colony, which included modern-day Israel and Palestinian territories, that existed between 1920 and 1948..

Around 700,000 Palestinians were forced out of their towns and villages and fled to the West BankA landlocked territory bordered by Israel, Jordan and the Dead Sea. It is the largest of the Palestinian territories. and Gaza.

In 1967, Israel launched the Six-Day WarA 1967 conflict lasting six days between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Israel won, capturing large amounts of land. and conquered both the West Bank and Gaza.

In 2006, Hamas took over the Gaza strip. Israel stopped many items from going into Gaza in response, saying they needed to stop Hamas from gaining new weapons.

Palestinians, the UNUnited Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security. and World Bank say this created a crisis in Gaza. But Israel says Hamas focused on weapons rather than making sure its people were cared for.

Today, Israel says the war is the only way to keep its people safe from Hamas attacks. But others say that both Hamas and Israeli leaders are guilty of war crimes for attacking civiliansPeople who are not in the army or the police..

Is Israel partly to blame?

Yes: Israel's leaders failed to make a deal to release the hostages. The war on Gaza has also killed thousands of Palestinians, meaning peace is even further away.

No! The only people to blame for the hostages deaths are the ones who took them and killed them - Hamas. Israel is only doing what it can to keep its people safe.