Six months of Israel-Gaza war
On 7 April, thousands of people gathered in Israeli cities to call for the release of hostages (people taken prisoner). The hostages were taken from Israel on 7 October 2023 during attacks by Hamas, a group classed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government (see timeline below). Hamas killed 1,200 people and took the hostages back to Gaza, where the group is based. Israel has said it aims to destroy Hamas and free the hostages. Since the Hamas attack on 7 October, Israel has attacked Gaza with planes, missiles and soldiers. More than 33,000 people have been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza. The protests across Israel marked six months since the 7 October attack.
What are the protests all about?
The protesters want all the hostages in Gaza to be returned to Israel. Some protesters were also critical of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and called for him to do more to get the hostages back. Others called for an election to choose a new leader for Israel. Nearly 130 hostages are said to remain in Gaza.
What is happening in Gaza?
On 7 April, the Israeli military said it had pulled most of its troops out of southern Gaza. This is where most of Gaza’s people are now living after many fled their homes in the north. The situation is very bad. Many buildings including homes and hospitals have been badly damaged or destroyed. There are severe shortages of food, water, medicine and other supplies. Aid organisations say not nearly enough help has reached people in need because of the difficulty in getting aid into Gaza (see panel above).
Who is trying to help?
Many countries have been sending aid to the region and lots of people have been raising funds for charities who are working there. World leaders have been urging both sides to work towards agreement. On 7 April, Israel and Hamas sent representatives to Egypt to discuss a possible ceasefire (when fighting stops). A Hamas official told Reuters news agency that the two sides had so far failed to agree and that Hamas had rejected Israel’s ceasefire proposals. The details of the proposals have not been released to the public but the talks are continuing.