Israel-Hamas war two years later hits Gaza and world

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on a music festival in Israel, killing around 1,200 people and sparking the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians in an effort to dismantle Hamas. The conflict has since evolved into a severe humanitarian crisis for civilians in Gaza.

Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director of the McCain Institute, joined “Arizona Horizon” to provide context on the war and its global implications.

“It’s a tragedy that we’re at this two year mark, we shouldn’t be here at all,” Farkas said, “…there is some room for hope. It looks like negotiations are serious, and both sides are being pressured…the dynamic is such that we can be a little bit optimistic, which makes it different from last year.”

Many analysts believe that Hamas launched the initial attack to get a rise out of the Palestinian people, and to make the argument for a Palestinian state.

“It was an abomination of human rights, assault against innocent Israeli people,” Farkas explained, “…the things that they did to women, to children…then of course they abducted innocent people…people of all ages.”

The attack on Oct. 7, 2023, was the single deadliest day for the Jewish people, since the holocaust. Evidence of the horrific event is seen all over, as Hamas terrorists recorded the numerous attacks that took place on that day.

“Largely, people who lived in a hope for peace…they were living in kibbutzim,” Farkas said, “…just minding their own business, or going to a music festival in some cases.”

Farkas emphasized that since the war began, Israel has been under constant pressure and attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran who had been contributing to the numerous terror groups in the region.

“They had the right to go to a war of self-defense,” Farkas explained, “…the problem was that as time went on, the way that they were prosecuting this war became problematic for human rights and frankly many people in the Israeli public…one because it endangered the hostages…and then of course what happened to innocent civilians in Gaza.”