On October 7th, 2023, Palestinian militants launched an attack into Israel from the Gaza Strip, kidnapping 250 people and killing 1,200 people. In response, Israel launched a devastating invasion of the Gaza Strip, that has displaced almost 2 million Palestinians, and killed over 40,000.

A year before the IsraelGaza war, I was cycling along the Israeli side of the Gaza border, close to the iron wall; the Israeli barrier that seals Gaza off from the outside world. This video covers the history of Gaza, Hamas, & the IsraelGaza war, and the Israeli side of the Gaza border before the war began.

Background of the IsraelGaza War:
Gaza is one of two Palestinian Territories, the other being the West Bank. While a Palestinian political group called Fatah controls fragments of the West Bank, Hamas came to power in Gaza in 2005. The Egyptian and Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip came into force as a result. That blockade is so restrictive that the UN still considers Israel to be an occupying power in Gaza. Even before the 2023 IsraelGaza war, Israel had been accused of creating a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, preventing vital supplies getting in and out, and crushing Gaza’s economy.

Hamas is both a fundamentalist militant group, and a political organisation. It is recognised as a terrorist organisation by many countries, though some only apply that label to Hamas’ militant wing, not the Hamas government that administers Gaza.

Despite that, the Israeli government has helped prop up Hamas, allowing it to receive money from abroad. This not only reduced tension between Israel and Hamas, but also fuelled a split between Palestinian factions. If they could prevent Fatah in the West Bank from also controlling the Gaza Strip, where Hamas has power, then that would make it far more difficult for Palestine to achieve statehood.

That strategy continued until October 2023, when Hamas launched it’s attack against Israel. The massacres committed by Hamas were met with a brutal response from Israel, leading to 9 months of war and counting. As evidence of Israeli war crimes in it's invasion of Gaza are mounting, Israel seems to be considering expanding the war and invading Southern Lebanon as well.

00:0001:17 The IsraelGaza Border
01:1804:35 History of Hamas & Gaza
04:3606:18 The Blockade of Gaza
06:1906:55 Hamas tunnels & Israel Striking Civilians
06:5607:43 Israel Oppressing Palestinians
07:4408:15 Hamas' Wealth
08:1609:08 Israel Propped up Hamas
09:0910:20 The 2023 Hamas Attack & Israel's Response
10:2111:39 The Timing of the 2023 Hamas Attack
11:4013:13 Why Isn't Anyone from Gaza in this Video?
13:1414:56 Cycling along the IsraelGaza Border
14:5720:04 Nir Am Kibbutz on the Gaza Border
20:0523:18 The Café Overlooking Gaza
23:1926:22 Netenyahu's Motivation for Continuing the War
26:2328:30 Israel to Invade Lebanon?
28:3130:31 Israel Committing War Crimes

#gaza #gazaborder #israelpalestinehistory #palestine #israelhamaswar