Is peace possible? Israel awoke to a bloody incursion on Saturday morning during a Jewish holiday, and promptly declared war. Amid deep civilian losses on both sides, some wonder if peace will ever come to pass.
World on high alert after Israel declares war
Is peace possible? Israel awoke to a bloody incursion on Saturday morning during a Jewish holiday, and promptly declared war. Amid deep civilian losses on both sides, some wonder if peace will ever come to pass.
On Saturday, millions awoke ready to celebrate the end of SukkotA Jewish autumn festival of thanksgiving, celebrated for seven days. with the holiday of Simchat TorahA Jewish religious holiday in early October, celebrating the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. . The festivities usually involve dancing and singing with the Torah scrolls, but on this occasion it was marked by sombre silence.
At dawn, a surprise incursionSudden or brief invasion. by the PalestinianPalestine is an area of the eastern Mediterranean region, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip and parts of modern Israel. It has been fought over by Arab and Jewish national movements for many years. militant group HamasA militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. from GazaThe smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt. into Israel sent the world reeling. Hamas claims to have launched 5,000 rockets across Israel. Sirens sounded as a barrageA bombardment of multiple artillery weapons over a large area. hit parts of four cities, including Tel Aviv. Fighters raided the border towns of Ofakim and Sderot. The Israeli death toll has reached 700.
Hamas said they were entering "the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth". The Gaza strip, which is only twice the size of Washington DC but home to 2.3 million Palestinian people,1 has been under blockade from Israel for sixteen years.2 It is described by human rights groups as an "open-air prison", often without electricity, food security, clean water and adequate healthcare or education.
In response to the offensive by Hamas, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war. So far, 413 Palestinian people have been killed in the retaliatory attacks. Meanwhile, in the West BankA landlocked territory bordered by Israel, Jordan and the Dead Sea. It is the largest of the Palestinian territories. , seven people have been killed by Israeli army fire.
The tragedy on both sides is immeasurable. Before the latest conflict, 6,407 Palestinians and 308 Israelis had been killed since 2008 as a result of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with thousands more injured.
It is raising dark memories for Israeli people, who recall the Yom Kippur WarThe Yom Kippur War was an armed conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, including Egypt and Syria. It occurred on the holy day of Yom Kippur in 1973., which took place 50 years ago almost to the day.
As war alights again in the Middle East, it rages on in Ukraine and Sudan. More than 100,000 refugees flee Nagorno-KarabakhA mountainous region of the South Caucasus. The area is disputed by Azerbaijan and Armenia. as Azerbaijan's army seizes control over the region. Tensions appear close to boiling point in KosovoA landlocked country in the Balkans in southeast Europe. It has a population of 1.87 million. , raising the spectre of a second European war. Some say that we will never see peace.
The repercussions could be endless. The US is already being criticised for a prisoner swap which released Iranian funds that some allege funded Hamas' attacks. Some believe Russia will use the conflict to put pressure on Western countries to stop sending supplies to Ukraine. And some even think that this network of alliances and enmitiesFeelings of hostility or hatred. will drag us into a third World War.
<h5 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong>Is peace possible?</strong></h5>
Yes: Peace can become the norm - but it will take huge effort from around the world. And peace is not only the absence of war, but also the absence of incursions, blockades, of sieges and of annexation.
No: Conflict is breaking out all over the globe, and tensions will only worsen as more and more refugees from both war and climate change flee across the world. We could even witness a third World War.
Or... War happens in every region around the world. It is simply human nature to make conflict with our neighbours. We will unfortunately never lose this part of the human condition.
Sukkot - A Jewish autumn festival of thanksgiving, celebrated for seven days.
Simchat Torah - A Jewish religious holiday in early October, celebrating the completion of the annual reading of the Torah.
Incursion - Sudden or brief invasion.
Palestinian - Palestine is an area of the eastern Mediterranean region, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip and parts of modern Israel. It has been fought over by Arab and Jewish national movements for many years.
Hamas - A militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Gaza - The smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt.
Barrage - A bombardment of multiple artillery weapons over a large area.
West Bank - A landlocked territory bordered by Israel, Jordan and the Dead Sea. It is the largest of the Palestinian territories.
Yom Kippur War - The Yom Kippur War was an armed conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, including Egypt and Syria. It occurred on the holy day of Yom Kippur in 1973.
Nagorno-Karabakh - A mountainous region of the South Caucasus. The area is disputed by Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Kosovo - A landlocked country in the Balkans in southeast Europe. It has a population of 1.87 million.
Enmities - Feelings of hostility or hatred.
World on high alert after Israel declares war

Glossary
Sukkot - A Jewish autumn festival of thanksgiving, celebrated for seven days.
Simchat Torah - A Jewish religious holiday in early October, celebrating the completion of the annual reading of the Torah.
Incursion - Sudden or brief invasion.
Palestinian - Palestine is an area of the eastern Mediterranean region, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip and parts of modern Israel. It has been fought over by Arab and Jewish national movements for many years.
Hamas - A militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Gaza - The smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt.
Barrage - A bombardment of multiple artillery weapons over a large area.
West Bank - A landlocked territory bordered by Israel, Jordan and the Dead Sea. It is the largest of the Palestinian territories.
Yom Kippur War - The Yom Kippur War was an armed conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, including Egypt and Syria. It occurred on the holy day of Yom Kippur in 1973.
Nagorno-Karabakh - A mountainous region of the South Caucasus. The area is disputed by Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Kosovo - A landlocked country in the Balkans in southeast Europe. It has a population of 1.87 million.
Enmities - Feelings of hostility or hatred.