What’s happening in the Middle East? – 11 October 2024
Right now, there’s lots of fighting and upsetting news in the Middle East, and it can be confusing to understand what’s going on. In FYI, Maya takes a look at the history of the situation and we learn how the fighting has been spreading in recent weeks.
- History of the recent conflict
The conflict in the Middle East has been going on for a very long time and involves lots of disagreement over land. The most recent conflict began just over a year ago on 7 October 2023, when armed Hamas fighters broke through border fences and launched a surprise attack on Israel. The attack killed lots of civilians, as well as soldiers. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people were taken as hostages. As a result, a war erupted and more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.
- How is the fighting growing?
The latest fighting is taking place in the countries of Israel and Lebanon. It is happening between Israel and an armed group in Lebanon called Hezbollah, who are supporters of the Palestinian group Hamas. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are banned in Britain as terrorist organisations.
Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, Hezbollah has been firing missiles into northern Israel. But the conflict has recently escalated and Israel has fired missiles into the Lebanese capital of Beirut in retaliation, killing the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli soldiers have now also crossed the border into Lebanon, as conflict takes place on the ground as well.
The Israel-Gaza conflict has escalated to involve more of the wider Middle East region
- What are they fighting for?
Hamas and Hezbollah are fighting for a Palestinian state that would include some of the land currently occupied by Israel. Iran is supporting the terrorist groups and has recently fired lots of missiles into Israel – most of which were shot down and caused limited damage.
- What has the fighting meant for ordinary people in the region?
The fighting has taken a big toll on the people living in this area. In northern Israel, more than 60,000 people have had to flee their homes due to Hezbollah missiles. In Lebanon, many have died and a lot of people have been forced to leave their homes. The UK government and other countries are calling for a ceasefire, demanding an end to the conflict that is impacting millions of civilian lives.
Nine-year-old Cilia has been forced to leave her home and live with her grandmother. “I came here because I was terrified of the war,” she tells us. “They’re bombing heavily. I wish they wouldn’t bomb. When will this war stop?”
Cilia
- Children and families escaping war
Charities are warning of the terrible effect the conflict is having on children and families. FYI spoke to Tess Ingram from UNICEF to find out more about the living conditions people are facing as a result of the fighting.
Tess says: “We know that one million people, which is quite a lot of the population of Lebanon, have moved in the last week to try and find somewhere safe. Some people are going to the homes of other friends or family in different parts of the country that are not being affected. Other people are going to shelters that are set up by the government to help protect people. These shelters are often schools, so where the children used to learn, they’re now going there to live. And sometimes there can be as many as 20 people living in a classroom, which is a lot when you know how big your classroom is.”
- Hoping for peace
FYI presenter Maya also hears from Ishai, living near Jerusalem. He’s a teenager who’s part of Jerusalem Peacebuilders, a charity that brings people from Palestinian and Jewish communities together. After over a year of conflict, he tells us he just wants peace. Ishai says: “It makes me feel scared for the people I love, for the people who are fighting in the north, or in the south in Lebanon. I want my people in my country to live a simple life. A peaceful life is not taken for granted in Israel, you have to constantly live in fear of what’s coming next, the next threat, the next war. And I want to live in peace, to live, to know that I’m safe.”
Watch the full clip at first.news/TV.
