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Middle East conflict: What is happening now?

17 October 2024

After a significant escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, the search for peace in the Middle East is more urgent than ever since the 7 October attack on Israel a year ago.

Middle East map

What has happened in the year since the 7 October attack?

The suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis has deepened every day since Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed over 1,200 people. Israeli hostages continue to be held in Gaza and countless lives have been transformed by pain and grief.

Israel’s response to the attack has seen daily relentless bombardment on Palestinians in Gaza. The latest figures from 15 October are horrifying: they show that over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 99,000 injured, the majority of whom are women and children. According to The Lancet, the real figures are likely much higher.

This year has been the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since UN records began in 2005. Over 2 million Palestinians are in need of food, water, shelter, protection and basic necessities. The risk of famine persists, with all residents of Gaza facing catastrophic levels of hunger.

Meanwhile, settlement expansion and settler violence has sharply increased. Over 90 per cent of the population has been forcibly displaced in an area the size of the Isle of Wight.

The number of Palestinian children killed by live ammunition fired by Israeli forces has almost tripled since 7 October 2023

United Nations
Israeli-Palestinian Crisis news story image 1

Our local partners have been providing urgent humanitarian aid to those sheltering in overcrowded temporary settlements near Rafah in the south of Gaza.

The search for peace in the Middle East is more urgent than ever

In the last few weeks, a significant escalation of the conflict in the Middle East in Lebanon has seen over 1 million people flee their homes and over 2,000 people killed (as of October 10, 2024). This marks the latest chapter in a devastating year for the region.

Over 1,000 public schools have been allocated as shelters for displaced people. This is seriously affecting education for students whose schools have been transformed into shelters.

As of 10 October, it was confirmed that two strikes had hit shelters for internally displaced people

Lebanon’s Ministry of Education said that Israeli airstrikes have forced about 40 per cent of Lebanon's 1.5 million pupils from their homes and postponed the start of the school year for public schools from 14 October to 4 November.

Moreover, five hospitals have been targeted, rendering them out of service, 22 ambulances have been attacked, and over 94 health personnel have been killed by Israeli airstrikes.

Our partners have been providing much-needed emergency aid services, comprising hot meals, hygiene kits, blankets and emergency healthcare services for those in need.