Israel-Hamas War
Israel and Hamas are in the second phase of the U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan, with the last living hostages already returned and Israel still holding a large security presence inside Gaza.[5][7][8] The main dispute now is over Hamas disarmament, the scope and pace of Israeli withdrawal, and who will govern Gaza after the fighting.
Aid deliveries and reconstruction planning are underway, but the ceasefire remains fragile and both sides are still pressing demands that could determine whether the deal holds.[1][5][6]
The Israel-Palestine conflict grew out of competing national claims over the same land after the Ottoman Empire collapsed and Britain took control of Palestine under a League of Nations mandate.
Rising Jewish immigration, Arab opposition to displacement, and failed attempts to create shared political arrangements produced repeated violence and hardened both movements. The 1947 UN partition plan proposed separate Jewish and Arab states, but war followed Israel’s 1948 independence declaration and the first Arab-Israeli conflict.
Later wars in 1967 and 1973 reshaped borders and left Israel in control of Gaza, while the rise of Hamas, the split with Fatah, and the blockade imposed after Hamas took Gaza in 2007 set the stage for repeated Gaza wars and a prolonged humanitarian crisis.[3]
Timeline
Israel
Controls a major security presence in Gaza and negotiates the next phase of the ceasefire and governance arrangement.
Hamas
Remains the main Palestinian armed and political force in Gaza and is central to decisions on disarmament and power sharing.
United States
Brokered the peace plan and is pressing both sides to implement the phased deal.
United Nations
Expands humanitarian aid operations and remains involved in reconstruction and accountability mechanisms.
Egypt
Acts as a regional mediator and a key partner in border and ceasefire arrangements.
Qatar
Supports mediation efforts and is part of the reconstruction and detainee-exchange diplomacy.
International Criminal Court
Faces continuing pressure as investigations into alleged wartime abuses remain politically contested.
- •Israel seeks to keep Hamas from rebuilding as a military threat, maintain security control around Gaza, and shape a postwar arrangement that prevents another attack.
- •Hamas seeks to preserve its political role, secure a broader Israeli withdrawal, and obtain a settlement that advances Palestinian self-rule and relief for Gaza.
- •The United States and other mediators seek to keep the ceasefire in place, expand aid and reconstruction, and settle Gaza’s future governance through a phased agreement.
Israeli Position
Israel presents the ceasefire as a security framework that returned hostages and reduced immediate threats while preserving leverage over Gaza’s borders and military environment.[5][6] Israeli leaders say the deal cannot move forward without Hamas disarmament and further withdrawal steps tied to security guarantees.[6][9]
Palestinian and Hamas Position
Palestinians view the deal as a way to stop large-scale bombardment, reopen aid flows, and begin recovery after severe destruction in Gaza.[1][7] Hamas portrays the agreement as a sign that it remains a central Palestinian actor, while insisting on fuller Israeli withdrawal and a political path that protects Palestinian rights.[1][8]
International Accountability View
Human rights advocates and international legal bodies argue that abuses by both Israeli forces and Hamas should be investigated under international law.[2] They see accountability efforts as essential to deter future violations, even as some governments push back against investigations and sanctions on UN officials.[2]
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