Five months after the war in Israel and Palestine started, worldwide protests are continuing in full force, and political tensions and public outcry are tightening. Acts of protest have escalated heavily. London, in the United Kingdom, has been declared a “no-go zone” for Jewish people due to the Pro-Palestine marches and protests, where violence has been threatened against Israeli citizens. In late February, 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell partook in an act of fatal self-immolation outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, inspiring a surge in extreme protests and support for Palestine.
The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas killed around 1,200 Isrealis and foreigners. Many large-scale attacks were carried out in Israeli military bases and points of interest, such as the Re’im Music Festival. Around 500,000 Israeli citizens have been displaced from their homes, and another 10,000 civilians are injured. On top of the 1,200 civilians, an estimated 1,600 soldiers have been killed as well. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, and well over 75,000 are injured. Roughly 60% of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed by airstrikes, and nearly two million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes. More than 500,000 Gazans are currently at risk of starvation, and the recent humanitarian aid ambush by Israeli soldiers, killing more than 125 people and injuring nearly 800, has sparked immense controversy and outcry. In addition to the event dubbed the “Flour Massacre,” an attack on the first day of the Muslim new year celebrations of Ramadan killed more than 75 and injured many others according to Al Jazeera.
“I think it is heartbreaking, and it shouldn’t be happening. I mean, 30,000 people shouldn’t be dead, the retaliation for the October 7th attacks was way too big of a magnitude,” senior Sofia Garnica, a leader of Politics Club said. “That in addition to the starvation of the Palestinian people, especially during Ramadan, is really, really heartbreaking.”
The airstrikes have not stopped since day one. In the first few days of the war, footage showing the destruction of the Al-Watan Tower; the direct neighbor of the Al-Jalaa Building, the AP News headquarters destroyed two years before, went viral, as well as another unnamed residential skyscraper in Gaza. On the other side of the border, footage also emerged from the Supernova Music Festival massacre in Re’im, which killed more than 360 Israeli civilians, and resulted in 40 concertgoers being kidnapped and taken to Gaza. After the siege, Hamas released several propaganda videos showing their use of motorized gliders and construction of improvised rockets. Graphic footage emerged of attacks on both sides, showing Hamas militants shooting at people’s cars as they tried to escape the festival in Israel, and children injured and killed by airstrikes in Gaza, including footage from the courtyard of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, where a stray rocket of unknown origin killed 471 and injured around 300.
The protests in the United States are carrying on at full force. On Feb. 25, 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell, a member of the United States Air Force, live-streamed outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC. He doused himself in flammable liquid and set himself on fire, shouting “Free Palestine!” repeatedly.
The United States’ support for Israel has been a controversial subject matter. However, there are also humanitarian relief operations being organized in Gaza by the US. A plan to build a temporary port for overseas delivery of medical aid supplies has been put in place. On top of this, though, financial support for UNRWA, an aid corporation for Palestine, is in the process of being banned by Congress.
“Any loss of life, you know, looking through all the points in history and just all the conflict– it’s a horrible, horrible thing that’s going on,” history teacher Tyler Troyer said. “Because, again, when you lose life like this, it’s not a light matter by any means, so it’s definitely something we need to keep all our focus on and hopefully we can put an end to all that violence and stuff going on.”
