International Relations, Geography, History, Current Affairs, Security Studies, and Political Science.

“Peace that relies on force is fragile ; long term peace requires tolerance, inclusivity and pluralism”

What is going on

The fighting has intensified in and around Gaza. Ground forces have moved into crowded urban areas after heavy air strikes. Large numbers of people have been displaced many times inside a tiny territory. Hospitals, schools and shelters struggle for fuel, water, food and medicines. Israel says the goal is to dismantle armed groups and free hostages; aid agencies say civilians bear the highest cost.

• Deaths among Palestinians are in the tens of thousands; many more are injured; homes and public services are badly damaged.
  
• A smaller but significant number of Israeli civilians and soldiers have also been killed since late 2023.
  
• Hostages taken into Gaza are not all home; families continue to press for negotiated release.
  

The genocide accusations

Alongside the fighting, a legal battle is unfolding. A commission set up by the United Nations has alleged that Israeli leaders and forces have committed several acts that match legal tests for genocide. Israel denies this and says it is acting in self-defence against armed groups that hide among civilians. Court cases and provisional directions continue and will take time.

• Alleged acts include killing members of the group, causing serious harm, creating life conditions leading to destruction, and measures intended to prevent births.
  
• The report also points to public speeches by senior leaders to infer intent.
  
• International courts have ordered steps to prevent genocidal acts and to allow more aid, while the main legal questions remain open.
  

How we reached here: history with clear timeline

The land was under Ottoman rule until the First World War, then under a British mandate. Migration, land disputes and competing national movements led to deep friction. The proposed partition plan of 1947 was accepted by Jewish leaders and rejected by Arab leaders; war followed, and the map changed.

• 1948 war: Israel declared independence, survived the invasion, and expanded beyond the United Nations partition lines. The West Bank went to Jordan; Gaza to Egypt; hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees.
  
• 1967 war: Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai and Golan Heights. Sinai later returned to Egypt; West Bank and Gaza remained under occupation.
  
• 1990’s Oslo process: created the Palestinian Authority but left final status issues—borders, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements and security—unsettled.
  
• Gaza since 2005–2007: Israel removed settlers and soldiers from inside Gaza in 2005 but kept control over airspace and most borders. Hamas took control in 2007; wars and short truces followed.
  
• Settlements: West Bank settlers number around four to five lakh; East Jerusalem adds around two to three lakh; many states view these as unlawful.
  
• Politics: Palestinian leadership is divided; trust is low on both sides.
  

Stakeholders and their interests

Many actors pull in different directions. Some interests clash; some overlap. This explains why even good-sounding plans stall.

• Israel: stop rocket fire and attacks; free hostages; prevent hostile forces near towns; keep international support; internal division on borders, Gaza’s future and settlements.
  
• Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank: safety, end of occupation, lifting of blockades, freedom of movement, viable sovereign state with East Jerusalem as capital, and justice for civilian harm and displacement.
  
• Neighbouring states (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria): calm borders, limited refugee pressure, domestic stability, and claims over territory or control.
  
• Regional powers (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Qatar, United Arab Emirates): influence, security and reputation; some back normal ties with Israel linked to Palestinian rights; others support Palestinian factions.
  
• United States and European countries: support for an ally balanced with domestic opinion, energy routes and humanitarian concerns; different views on ceasefire and accountability.
  
• United Nations and courts: civilian protection, aid access and enforcement of international law.
  
• Civil society and diasporas: pressure for ceasefire, release of hostages, settlement freeze, boycotts or diplomatic action.
  

The present complex situation

Even when the daily map shifts, three deeper facts keep the crisis hot: urban war in a tiny place, a humanitarian system near collapse, and fragmented politics. A second pressure point exists in the West Bank due to settlements and raids.

• Urban combat in a dense strip makes civilian harm and repeated displacement very likely.
  
• Aid collapse: fuel, food and medicines are scarce; convoys face checks and security risks.
  
• Political fragmentation: divided Palestinian leadership; internal splits in Israel; no single, strong mediation track.
  
• West Bank tension: settlement expansion and settler violence increase friction; security raids target cells planning attacks.
  
• The longer the war continues, the harder it is to rebuild trust, reopen trade and restart daily life.
  

Possible solutions for long-term peace

A  durable peace needs two tracks moving together: immediate steps that save lives and a political settlement that ends the cycle. The widely supported political end-state is the two-state solution—Israel and Palestine living side by side, each with recognised borders, security, and full self-government.

A) The two-state solution (core political end-state)

Essentials

• Borders: Largely based on the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed land swaps to keep both states practical and continuous.
  
• Jerusalem: A shared city with arrangements for both peoples—for example, West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital, and special protection for holy sites.
  
• Security: Clear guarantees for Israel against rockets and cross-border attacks, demilitarisation measures inside the new Palestinian state, and international help for border control and early-warning systems.
  
• Settlements: Freeze now, followed by land swaps, relocation, or legal regularisation where both sides agree.
  
• Refugees: A balanced package—limited return where possible, citizenship options in the new Palestinian state, third-country resettlement for volunteers, and compensation funds.
  
• Economic linkages: Open crossings, trade corridors, and joint infrastructure in water, power, health and housing so that peace feels real at the household level.
  
• International guarantees: A formal treaty witnessed by major powers and neighbours, with monitoring missions, public benchmarks, and penalties for violations.
  

How to reach it 

• Phase 1 (life-saving): Sustained ceasefire; phased release of hostages and detainees; daily aid corridors; protected zones around hospitals and schools.
  
• Phase 2 (ground stabilisation): A reformed Palestinian civil and security administration in Gaza and the West Bank, supported by Arab partners; strict controls on weapons; a time-bound stabilisation mission at crossings and key roads with a clear exit plan.
  
• Phase 3 (political bargain on a clock): Nine to twelve months of talks on borders, Jerusalem, security, refugees and settlements, with monthly public scorecards.
  
• Phase 4 (implementation): Step-by-step border marking, security transfers, settlement decisions, refugee package rollout, and joint economic projects that create local jobs.
  

B) Alternatives often discussed (why they are harder)

• One state with equal rights: Morally simple but politically least acceptable to many on both sides today; deep fear that one group will dominate the other.
  
• Loose confederation: Two flags and two governments with open borders and shared bodies. Attractive on paper, but needs high trust and working security first.
  
• Long truce without status talks: Lowers violence for a while but locks in disputes, making a later final deal even harder.
  

C) Justice, reconstruction and reconciliation (whatever the model)

• Independent investigations of major incidents; victim-centred compensation.
  
• Reconstruction fund with strong safeguards; contracts that employ local youth and firms.
  
• People-to-people bridges: scholarships, apprenticeships, professional exchanges, sports and culture links—to slowly rebuild human trust.
  

Force can change who holds a street; it cannot create trust or a normal life. The only path that can last is a political settlement that gives Israel security and gives Palestinians freedom and statehood. That means a ceasefire linked to a credible two-state process, a halt to unilateral steps, strong aid and reconstruction, and real accountability for serious violations. Without these, each new battle pushes compromise further away.

Exam hook 

Key takeaways

• Fighting is severe; displacement and civilian harm are very high.
  
• A United Nations body has alleged acts that fit genocide tests; Israel rejects this and claims self-defence.
  
• The roots lie in the failed partition of 1947–48, the wars of 1948 and 1967, unsettled final-status issues, settlement growth and divided leadership.
  
• Many actors pull in different directions: Israel, Palestinian groups, neighbours, regional powers, Western states, the United Nations and civil society.
  
• A workable plan needs four legs: ceasefire and aid, security and governance reform, time-boxed two-state negotiation, and justice with reconstruction.
  

Mains question

Question: In light of current Gaza operations and genocide claims, is a time-bound two-state process still the only realistic road to durable peace? Discuss five immediate steps to lower harm and build trust.

Hints: begin with present crisis and humanitarian need; note the legal dispute; sketch the history; list five steps—sustained ceasefire, phased exchange of hostages and detainees, reformed Palestinian administration with Arab support, settlement freeze with real mobility and trade, independent investigations with compensation and a protected reconstruction plan.

Prelims question

Which statements are correct?

1. Gaza borders Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
   
2. The West Bank lies to the west of the Jordan River and shares a boundary with Jordan.
   
3. Israel has coastline on the Mediterranean Sea and on the Gulf of Aqaba, which is part of the Red Sea.
   

Choose the correct answer:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D. All three statements are correct.

One-line wrap

Save lives now with a ceasefire, freeze the facts on the ground, and move—on a clock—towards a fair, verifiable two-state deal.