The Israel and Palestine conflict continued to rage on throughout the holidays and has created a very upsetting start to the new year. As the death toll continues to rise to horrific numbers, people on the outside are beginning to fear for the citizens of the Gaza Strip.
The latest numbers from the war say that more than 20,000 people have been killed so far. Israel has lost around 1,300 of its people some of whom were civilians and far too many children. Palestine has lost 22,000 of its people, 6,000 of which were children acording to several news organizations such as NPR, Al Jazeera, NBC news, CBS news and PBS news.
In the US specifically, the war has taken on a very political front where people argue and fight and inform on their opinions. Through TikTok and other social media platforms, lots of important information as well as Israeli and Palestinian voices have come to light, helping inform and educate those ignorant of the war.
Several celebrities and outspoken businesses have stated their support of either Palestine or Israel. Specifically, chains such as Starbucks and McDonalds have been facing boycotts for alleged Israeli support though both deny such claims. Celebrities such as the Hadids, Selena Gomez, Emma Watson, Elon Musk, Mark Ruffalo, and many more have publicly stated their views on Palestine. Celebrities such as the Kardashians and several others claimed support for Israel before Oct. 7, though the majority have not commented since the Palestinian death toll climbed towards 20,000. Support truly fluctuates, though, especially among celebrities and their attempts to maintain their popularity.
Throughout the war, it has become more apparent that there isn’t proper education on the history of Palestine vs. Israel, proving that people may sometimes agree with something they don’t entirely understand just because the majority might.
The large-scale terrorist attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 has condemned countless Palestinians to death. Instead of Israel targeting the Hamas organization specifically, they decided to target countless civilian hospitals and refugee camps. Israel’s actions against Palestinian innocents are largely what has turned a lot of the country against them. Hamas is a militant group organized in Palestine and it needs to take responsibility for its actions instead of letting Palestinian civilians die.
Though supporters on both sides hope the war will reach a quick and hopefully more peaceful resolution than it currently looks like it will, everyone is just waiting for the next horrific thing from this war. The past four months have proven to be the most brutal part of the century-long war.
Many pray that through its showcasing and media surrounding the war will aid in its resolution. However, the forgotten war between Russia and Ukraine does not give much hope for any foreign countries’ assistance or support in the future. For now, citizens of the US and other idle countries have to watch the war and horror unfold whether you call it defense or genocide there is no denying, that it’s simply horrific.
