Sunday marks 100 days that Israel and Hamas have been at war. The war already is the longest and deadliest between Israel and the Palestinians since Israel’s establishment in 1948, and the fighting shows no signs of ending.
Israel declared war in response to Hamas’ unprecedented cross-border attack on Oct. 7 in which the Islamic militant group killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 others hostage. It was the deadliest attack in Israel’s history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.
Israel responded with weeks of intense airstrikes in Gaza before expanding the operation into a ground offensive. It says its goal is to crush Hamas and win the release of the more than 100 hostages still held by the group.
The offensive has wrought unprecedented destruction upon Gaza. But more than three months later, Hamas remains largely intact and hostages remain in captivity. The Israeli military says the war will stretch on throughout 2024.
Here are five takeaways from the first 100 days of a conflict that has upended the region.
1. Israel Will Never Be the Same:
While the public has rallied behind the military’s war effort, it remains deeply traumatized. Israeli news channels devote their broadcasts to round-the-clock coverage of the war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains firmly entrenched.
2. Gaza Will Never Be the Same:
Experts say the Israeli bombing is among the most intense in modern history. Gaza health authorities say the death toll already has eclipsed 23,000 people. Gaza has become uninhabitable, with the medical system close to collapse.
3. It’s All Connected:
The war has escalated tensions across the Middle East. Iranian-backed militant groups in Lebanon and Yemen have initiated attacks. The United States and British militaries have taken action to contain the violence.
4. Israel Can’t Ignore the Palestinians:
Netanyahu’s attempts to sideline the Palestinian issue have failed. The war has put the Israeli-Palestinian conflict back on center stage.
5. There’s No Postwar Plan:
As the war continues, there is no clear path for when it will end or what will follow. Reconstructing Gaza will take years, and questions remain about governance and the two-state solution.
The devastating impact on Gaza and the ongoing challenges in finding a resolution to the conflict highlight the urgency for a sustainable peace agreement.
