Israel starts new Gaza offensive: thousands of protest in Jerusalem!

Israel starts new Gaza offensive: thousands of protest in Jerusalem!

Gazastreifen, Palästina - On March 20, 2025, Israel started a new soil offensive in the Gaza Strip against Hamas. This military advance comes after a phase of relative peace, which has been shaped by a ceasefire since January 19, 2025. The attacks focus on members and the infrastructure of Hamas throughout the coastal area and are intended as part of the answer to the raids of October 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed in these attacks by Hamas and more than 250 Israelis were taken hostage.

The Israeli army reports that it has met around ten Hamas terrorists, while Palestinian health authorities have reported at least 436 deaths since the beginning of the new attacks, including 183 minors. The violent rebuild of the conflict has also led to massive protests in Jerusalem, in which thousands demonstrate against the offensive. In this context there were riots and at least twelve arrests.

international reaction

The beginning of the offensive triggered international concerns. An EU summit in Brussels will deal with the effects of Israeli military operation. France has already convicted the attacks and calls for a return to the ceasefire. In addition, UN employees in Gaza were killed in an attack on an UN facility, which leads to further tensions. Israel rejects any responsibility for this tragedy.

In the Israeli government, there are still demands for the release of hostages and the expulsion of Hamas from the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that Hamas must be held responsible. The situation is also complicated by the fact that the ceasefire, conveyed by the USA, Qatar and Egypt, is now de facto without being able to reach an extension.

historical context

The renewed escalation of violence in the Middle East leads people back to the traumatic events that extend to the beginning of the conflict in the 19th century. This phase is shaped by a deep collective trauma, not only from the perspective of the Jews who have experienced the Holocaust, but also from the perspective of the Palestinians who carry the "Nakba" - the flight and expulsion of Palestinians in 1948 - as a painful legacy. The division of the area and the competing demands on the same country are still fiercely competitive.

The military success of Israel in the Gaza Strip is criticized, since the Israeli government, according to reports, wants to permanently maintain the military presence in the region and create a buffer zone in the Gaza Strip. While the trump card of Israel's military actions is the fight against Hamas, the civilian population and the human situation suffer significantly. The international actors, including the United States, the EU and Arab countries, are still committed to de -escalation and improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Overall, the situation in the Middle East is unstable; A permanent solution seems far away. Violence in the West Bank has also increased and affects the already tense relationships between the parties to the conflict. The search for peace remains one of the biggest challenges in this region.

The current events illustrate the complexity and deep roots of the conflict. While Israel focuses on military operations, the pressure to find a peaceful solution is growing within the country and internationally.