December 4, 2025
The Gaza Strip is a 141-square-mile Palestinian enclave at Israel’s southwestern border, between Egypt, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea. Home to over two million Palestinians, it takes its name from the ancient city of Gaza.
Following Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Palestinians elected Hamas, an Iran-backed terrorist organization, which subsequently violently seized power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, Hamas has used Iranian funding, training, and weapons to launch repeated wars against Israel—in 2008–09, 2014, 2021, and most devastatingly on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists murdered more than 1,200 Israelis, kidnapped 251 hostages, and triggered a devastating war.
Now, more than two years after Hamas’ October 7 massacre, the Trump administration has brokered the first step toward potentially permanently ending the conflict in Gaza and promoting Middle East regional integration through its 20-point peace plan. The plan includes an initial ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages, and an Israeli forces phased withdrawal, dependent on Hamas meeting its obligations towards disarmament and removal from power.
Here are common questions about Gaza, the terrorist group that controls it, and Israel’s efforts to defend its citizens from Hamas’ attacks.
Israel’s Actions
Does Israel occupy the Gaza Strip?
Temporarily. Israel has had no permanent presence in the coastal enclave for over two decades. While Israeli forces entered Gaza following Hamas’ October 2023 massacre as part of its defensive operations, Israel has affirmed under the 20-Point Gaza Plan that it will neither occupy nor annex the territory.
Under the plan, Israeli forces would withdraw in phases: an immediate pullback to 53 percent of Gaza (the “Yellow Line”) contingent on Hamas’ release of hostages, followed by a gradual handover to an International Stabilization Force and vetted Palestinian/security authorities. Full withdrawal would occur only once Gaza is demilitarized and secure, though Israel may maintain a limited security perimeter until conditions are met.
Both Israel and Egypt maintain strict blockades over Gaza to prevent weapons smuggling and to stop Hamas from repurposing materials—like concrete and rocket components—into deadly weapons. These measures began after Hamas’ takeover of Gaza and amid concerns over Iranian arms shipments. However, these blockades did not prevent food and other non-illicit supplies from entering the Strip daily. Before October 2023, around 500 trucks carrying humanitarian aid and commercial goods entered the territory daily.
Historically, the Gaza Strip was occupied by Egypt from 1948 to 1967, after which Israel gained control following the Six-Day War. In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza, dismantling settlements and military installations in the hope of creating a peaceful future.
Is Israel trying to colonize the Gaza Strip?
No. In 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made the difficult decision to pull out of Gaza, to completely remove Israeli forces from the land. During that period of withdrawal, Sharon said, "Now the Palestinians bear the burden of proof. They must fight the terror organizations, dismantle their infrastructures, and show sincere intentions of peace."
Over twenty years later, it is beyond heartbreaking to know that the hopes that were once held for Gaza to be a land of peace, the heart of what could have been a wider peace process, have been dealt such a blow by the hate and evil of Hamas and their ideology.
Is Israel carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza?
No. Claims that Israel is committing “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza are false and deeply misleading. Israel’s military operations in Gaza target terror groups, including Hamas, an Iran-backed terrorist organization that launched the October 7, 2023, massacre, murdering more than 1,200 people, abducting 251 hostages, and unleashing a war that lasted over two years.
Israel’s objective is not to expel Gaza’s civilian population, but to dismantle Hamas’ military and governing capabilities so the group can no longer threaten Israelis nor Palestinians. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have repeatedly urged civilians to evacuate active combat zones, issued advance warnings, and created humanitarian corridors — actions entirely inconsistent with any intent to “cleanse” a population.
Israel fully withdrew from Gaza in 2005, dismantling every settlement and removing its military presence. It has no plans to annex or permanently control the territory, a point reaffirmed by Israel in President Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Israel’s operations inside Gaza are temporary and focused on self-defense, not occupation or demographic engineering.
Accusations of “ethnic cleansing” invert reality: Hamas, not Israel, endangers Gazan civilians by using homes, schools, and hospitals as shields, stealing humanitarian aid, and placing rocket launchers in civilian areas. Israel’s conduct, by contrast, reflects its legal and moral commitment to minimize harm to civilians while defending its people from terror.
Is Israel carrying out a genocide in Gaza?
No. Accusations that Israel’s military actions in Gaza constitute genocide are inaccurate, misleading, and dangerous, given that Israel’s stated goal is to target Hamas, not the Palestinian population. The term “genocide” refers to the deliberate destruction of a group, which is not Israel’s objective; its military focus remains on eliminating Hamas, a group whose stated aim includes Israel’s destruction. Moreover, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) adheres to humanitarian protocols, including issuing warnings to civilians before airstrikes and coordinating humanitarian aid. Hamas, in contrast, endangers Palestinian civilians by spending billions of dollars to embed military assets within civilian areas and discouraging evacuations. Israel’s actions conform to international law on military conduct, while charges of genocide lack a basis in facts and legal definitions. Ending the harm faced by civilians in Gaza would be best served by addressing Hamas's role in their suffering.
Did Israel distort the events of October 7 as an excuse to attack Palestinians in Gaza?
No. Most of the international community has been shocked and horrified by the inhumane atrocities carried out by Hamas terrorists against civilians in Israel during its attack on October 7.
The level of brutality carried out by Hamas terrorists has also drawn comparisons to the worst atrocities carried out by Islamic State terrorists in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Using rape, torture, and even beheadings, Hamas simply terrorized Israeli civilians in towns and kibbutzim along the border, including the Supernova music festival, where 260 young Israelis and foreign nationals were slaughtered, and the Kibbutz Be’eri Massacre, where over 100 people were killed.
Post October 7, Israel has been focused on doing what any other sovereign and responsible nation would do: ensure that its people can no longer be threatened by terror organizations that openly seek Israel’s destruction.
Does Israel purposely target Palestinian hospitals and schools in Gaza?
No. Israel does not purposely target civilian institutions such as hospitals or schools. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) directs its operations exclusively against Hamas and other terrorist groups that have embedded themselves within Gaza’s civilian infrastructure. Civilian casualties and damage to non-military sites are tragic but unintended consequences of Hamas’s strategic decision to operate from civilian infrastructure.
Hamas routinely stores rockets, weapons, and explosives inside or beneath homes, mosques, schools, and hospitals — and operates command centers in or near these facilities. For example, Hamas has used Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, as a terror command center and to hold hostages.
Hamas also fires rockets from densely populated neighborhoods and disguises its fighters as civilians, deliberately putting Gazans in harm’s way to generate propaganda against Israel.
In contrast, Israel takes extraordinary precautions to minimize civilian harm — far beyond what international law requires. The IDF issues repeated warnings before strikes, urging civilians to evacuate combat zones through Arabic-language text messages, phone calls, radio broadcasts, and hundreds of thousands of leaflets. Israel also uses “roof-knocking,” a warning munition designed to prompt evacuation before a strike.
Hamas’ cynical use of hospitals and schools as cover for terror is a war crime. Israel’s actions are aimed at defending its citizens and dismantling terrorist infrastructure, not harming civilians.
Does Israel use excessive force against Palestinian civilians?
No. Israel’s military actions in Gaza are a response to threats from Palestinian terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who deliberately target civilians and operate from civilian areas—including schools, hospitals, and mosques. These tactics make it extremely difficult for Israel to strike military targets without causing civilian casualties.
Unlike its adversaries, Israel strictly adheres to the laws of war, following principles of necessity, distinction, proportionality, and taking extensive precautions to protect civilians:
- Necessity: Israel is exercising its inherent right to self-defense under the UN Charter in response to Hamas’s October 7 massacre, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and took 251 hostages.
- Distinction: The IDF rigorously verifies military targets to differentiate them from civilians, paralleling U.S. military standards. Military lawyers review all strike decisions. When Hamas operates from civilian sites, those sites become legitimate military targets.
- Proportionality: Operations are frequently aborted if civilians remain in the target area, even after warnings to evacuate.
Israel also employs advanced warning systems—air raid sirens, phone alerts, and “roof knocking” with non-explosive munitions—to minimize civilian harm. Precision-guided weapons are used to strike combatants while reducing collateral damage.
Gaza’s dense population and the placement of military assets near civilians contribute to high casualty figures, but every measure is taken to protect innocent lives. Unlike Hamas, which fires rockets indiscriminately at Israeli civilians, Israel’s operations aim to neutralize threats while adhering to international law.
Has Israel not made any serious offers of peace with the Palestinians?
Israel has extended its hand in peace time and time again, including several concrete offers and proposals for peace with the Palestinians over the years. Here are some of the significant Israeli offers for peace with the Palestinians:
Oslo Accords (1993 and 1995): Israel, under the leadership of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, signed the Oslo Accords with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) headed by Yasser Arafat. The accords established the Palestinian Authority and granted limited self-governance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. While only a transitional agreement, the Oslo Accords were seen as a significant step towards a two-state solution.
Camp David Summit (2000): Then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and U.S. President Bill Clinton hosted Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for negotiations at Camp David in 2000. Barak offered significant territorial concessions to the Palestinians, including the establishment of a Palestinian state in most of the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital. However, the talks failed to produce a final agreement when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat rejected the offer. Commenting later, President Bill Clinton said that Arafat missed a historic opportunity for peace.
The collapse of the Camp David Summit was eventually followed by the Second Intifada, which saw widespread terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings carried out by Palestinian terror groups, that led to a significant loss of life on both sides.
Annapolis Conference (2007): In 2007, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, with the support of the U.S., launched the Annapolis Conference. The goal was to reach a peace agreement that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Olmert said that he gave Abbas an “unprecedented offer” based on a return to the pre-1967 borders, including land swaps and a division of Jerusalem. But Olmert never received a final response from the Palestinians on the offer.
More recently, the Trump Administration unveiled the “Peace to Prosperity” plan in January 2020. The plan presented a vision for a two-state solution, but with certain parameters, including Israeli sovereignty over some settlements in the West Bank and a non-contiguous Palestinian state.
Throughout its evolution, the two-state solution has been a central concept in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and international diplomacy. However, obstacles such as territorial disputes, security concerns, the status of Jerusalem, settlements, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees have hindered progress.
Following the October 7 attacks, many Israelis understandably view the idea of a Palestinian state as a reward for terror. However, AJC firmly believes that a regional process, like the 20 Point Plan, that interconnects Israel with the wider Arab world, undermines Hamas’ ideological battle that seeks to isolate and delegitimize the Jewish State. AJC maintains that the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, indigenous to both Jews and Arabs, cannot be the exclusive domain of one people and must be shared, as the UN General Assembly resolved in partitioning Mandatory Palestine on November 29, 1947.
A viable solution envisions a thriving, democratic, and pluralistic Israel—with a Jewish homeland, citizens of all faiths, and an integrated Arab minority—alongside an autonomous, nonmilitarized, contiguous Palestinian entity that guarantees political rights for Palestinians. Pursuing this two-state path will prevent the emergence of an unequal one-state reality, preserving Israel’s democratic character and its predominantly Jewish identity.
The path for this future must begin with creating the conditions for a “day after” political process, which can only be realized by pressuring Hamas to return all remaining hostages and ensuring that Hamas’s extremist ideology has no future with the Palestinian people.
More on AJC's vision for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians can be found here.
Is violence in the West Bank growing as a result of the Israel-Hamas War?
As a result of the October 7 massacre, the IDF has been conducting raids in the West Bank targeting Iran-backed Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists located in the area. There has also been a startling rise in settler violence against Palestinian civilians. Israel has the burden and responsibility to restrain settlers seeking to intimidate, threaten, or harm Palestinian civilians. AJC calls for thorough investigations and strongly urges the Israeli government to ensure that all those responsible for violence against Palestinians are held fully accountable under the law.
Humanitarian Aid To Gaza
What is the status of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip?
Humanitarian aid is a cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza, which calls for “full aid to be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip,” including restoring essential infrastructure — water, electricity, sewage — and rehabilitating hospitals, bakeries, and roadways. The United Nations Security Council approved the plan on November 18.
Hamas remains the primary barrier to effective relief. The Iran-backed terror group has diverted and taxed aid, stolen fuel, and embedded its military assets in civilian areas — war crimes that endanger Palestinians and Israelis alike. Ensuring that aid reaches civilians rather than terrorists is both a moral obligation and a security necessity.
Under the framework of the 20-Point Plan, Israel is working with the United Nations and international partners to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza, reflecting Israel’s commitment to protecting civilians while defending itself against Hamas. Throughout the conflict, Israel has facilitated more than 2.1 million tons of aid into Gaza, according to Israeli government figures.
Since the Gaza ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, the U.S.- and Israeli-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat has overseen stabilization and aid-delivery efforts. According to the CMCC, more than 800 trucks of humanitarian aid now enter Gaza each day.
Is Israel violating the ceasefire in Gaza?
No. The record shows that Israel has abided by the ceasefire’s terms, while Hamas has repeatedly violated them — often violently — and continues to endanger both Israelis and Palestinians.
After more than two years of war following the October 7 Hamas massacre, a ceasefire went into effect on October 10, 2025, under President Trump’s 20-point peace plan. The agreement — accepted by Israel and Hamas and endorsed by the UN Security Council — lays out a phased process toward a permanent end to the conflict: the full release of all living and deceased hostages, Israel’s staged withdrawal from Gaza, the complete disarmament of Hamas, and the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian governing authority, among other steps.
Israel has met its obligations. It has withdrawn from all major cities and population centers and now controls only a defined buffer zone — about 53% of the territory — along the “Yellow Line,” separating Israeli-held and Hamas-held areas.
Hamas, by contrast, has failed to uphold even basic commitments. Although it returned the 20 living hostages still in captivity, it violated the agreement by not returning the bodies of the 28 deceased hostages within the 72 hours after the agreement went into effect. It has taken nearly two months for the deceased hostages to be released, and as of December 4, 2025, one deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, remains. Additionally, Hamas even staged a bogus “recovery” by reburying partial remains of a previously recovered hostage it had already possessed.. Since Israel’s withdrawal, Hamas has also resumed its familiar pattern of brutality — executing more than 30 Palestinians and violently reasserting its grip over the population.
Most significantly, Hamas and other Palestinian terror factions have repeatedly broken the ceasefire. According to the IDF, they have carried out at least 32 violations, including infiltration attempts, explosive planting, gunfire across the Yellow Line, and a major October 19 attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and triggered Israeli defensive strikes. Hamas has also refused to commit to disarmament, which is a major step in the 20-Point Plan.
Israel is implementing the ceasefire. Hamas is exploiting it — violating its terms, threatening Israeli soldiers, and terrorizing Palestinians under its rule. The primary obstacle to sustaining the ceasefire isn’t Israeli restraint, but Hamas’s refusal to stop behaving like the terrorist organization it is.
