The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A History and the Refugee Crisis in Rafah

The conflict between Israel and Palestine dates back over 2,000 years. Following the destruction of the Jewish kingdom by the Roman Empire, Jewish people were expelled from their homeland and dispersed. In the 19th century, the Zionist movement emerged, fueled by the dream of returning to their homeland. Jewish people negotiated with Britain, which then controlled the Palestine region, and in 1947, the United Nations passed a resolution for the partition of Palestine. This paved the way for the establishment of Israel in 1948.

However, this process forced numerous Palestinian residents to leave their homes, leading to the First Arab-Israeli War. Conflicts between Israel and Palestine continued afterward. In 2006, the situation worsened when the Islamic militant group Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary elections. Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip and launched attacks on Israel, prompting Israel to intensify its own attacks on Gaza.

In October 2023, a major armed conflict erupted between Israel and Hamas, resulting in countless residents losing their homes within the Gaza Strip. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), there are currently 5.9 million Palestinian refugees, with over 2 million residing in Gaza. Gaza, spanning 360 square kilometers, has a population density of 5,555 people per square kilometer, making it an extremely densely populated area. Refugees are facing dire conditions with shortages of electricity, water, and medical services.

In response, the United Nations, international NGOs, and various governments are providing humanitarian aid. However, achieving lasting peace requires efforts from both Israel and Palestine. Recently, the Israeli military instructed residents in Rafah, the southernmost part of Gaza, to evacuate temporarily, hinting at the possibility of a ground operation in the future. This is believed to be a measure to pressure Hamas.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has lasted for eight months, and the stalemate between Israel and Hamas are further jeopardizing the safety of Rafah residents. The Israeli military has designated the Mawasi district along the Mediterranean coast and parts of Khan Yunis as evacuation destinations for Rafah residents, but these locations are likely insufficient to accommodate a large-scale population movement. There are concerns that if the current situation escalates into a ground war, the residents of Rafah will inevitably suffer casualties.