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 TorahThe five books of the Hebrew Bible. It is Judaism's most important document. scrolls, but on this occasion it was marked only by 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".

In response to the offensive by Hamas, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war. At least 413 Palestinian people have been killed in the retaliatoryIn response to previous attacks. attacks.

The tragedy on both sides is immeasurableNot able to be measured or counted. . 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.

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. . Some say that we will never see peace.

The repercussionsThe effects, usually bad, of an event or action. could be endless. World powers like the US and Russia are being drawn in. Some think it could even lead to World War Three.

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 and sieges.

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.

Torah - The five books of the Hebrew Bible. It is Judaism's most important document.

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.

Retaliatory - In response to previous attacks.

Immeasurable - Not able to be measured or counted.

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.

Repercussions - The effects, usually bad, of an event or action.