On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israel. According to Israeli authorities, 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 were taken hostage.
Today marks one year since the events of October 7.
The ‘Israel-Hamas War’ as it is now known, has resulted in the death of at least 40,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis. The following article will examine the most significant events that occurred over the past 12 months of conflict.
Early on, many activists and world leaders called for an immediate ceasefire. On November 2, 2023, Hamas stated that a ceasefire agreement could only happen if Israeli authorities allowed humanitarian organisations to bring aid into Gaza.
On November 22, 2023, a temporary ceasefire agreement was reached.
As the war carried over into 2024, university encampments were established on campuses around the world between April and June. Thousands of Australian students participated in local encampments at different universities such as the University of Melbourne and RMIT University to show support for Palestine.
On May 15, RMIT students held a protest at the Alumni Courtyard to commemorate the ‘Nakba’. Many attendees referred to the Nakba as a “catastrophe.”
According to the Islamic Relief Worldwide Organisation, Nakba Day is commemorated every year as it “marks the beginning of the destruction of Palestinian homeland and mass displacement in 1948 of the majority of the Palestinian population”.
On May 31, an AI-generated image of the camps in the Palestinian city of Rafah went viral on social media during the Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the city. The image captioned “All Eyes On Rafah” was shared on Instagram by over 47 million people.
On September 8, hundreds of people gathered outside the Melbourne Exhibition Centre to disrupt the hosting of the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition.
Protesters condemned the showcasing of weapons in Melbourne that they claimed could be used in the current conflict.
Mustafa Al-Zubaidi is a university student who actively participates in pro-Palestine demonstrations in Melbourne. He attended the Land Forces Exposition anti-war protest.
“It’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s a land force expo and it’s hosting Israeli corporations that are branding their weapons as battle tested. We know that means they’re currently being used in the genocide that’s currently taking place in Gaza,” Al-Zubaidi said.
The protest quickly became chaotic as some demonstrators lit fires and threw rubbish bins at police officers, prompting the use of capsicum spray and detainment.
The Land Forces Exposition protest became the biggest Victoria Police operation in nearly 25 years.
Over 1,800 officers were stationed at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Some protestors claim the large law enforcement presence led to excessive use of force.
“The protest always starts peaceful. We might have some rotten people in the crowd who are looking for violence but that doesn’t excuse the way the police handled the situation,” Al-Zubaidi said.
Al-Zubaidi supports pro-Palestine protests because of his “faith” and to “serve justice”.
“Equality is not served without honouring justice,” he said.
In late September, Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon, targeting Palestinians in refugee camps and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is a Lebanese-based group that has been supporting Palestinian resistance. The group is also backed by the Iranian government.
According to Al-Jazeera, Israeli attacks have killed at least 2,000 civilians in Lebanon since October 7, 2023.
On September 27, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed by Israeli airstrikes.
The assassination of the Hezbollah leader enraged the Shia Muslim community in the Middle East. Hezbollah is a Shia political group in Lebanon and many Shia Muslims support the organisation.
Following Nasrallah’s assassination, the Iranian government launched airstrikes on Israel and announced they will continue to retaliate.
As of October 7, 2024, the tensions in the Middle East continue to rise as Israel continues their offensives in both Lebanon and Gaza.
The Australian government has urged Australians currently in Lebanon to return to Australia while commercial flights are still available.
“My message to Australians in Lebanon is do not wait,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a recent press conference.
Victoria Police announced they will employ extra police units to prepare for large crowds that will gather for rallies commemorating the anniversary of October 7.
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