Answers to Difficult Questions

What is the West Bank? The West Bank is a land of profound historical and religious significance to Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths and a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This hilly, landlocked territory is home to both vibrant Palestinian communities and longstanding Jewish settlements, with governance divided between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Its history, which goes back to biblical times, is of strategic and cultural importance, making it central to efforts towards a negotiated peace.

After more than two years of war, a U.S.-brokered deal under President Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan led to the release of all Israeli hostages, a partial Israeli withdrawal, and the exchange of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, with the recovery of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili on January 26, 2026, marking the completion of phase one.

When will the next hostages be released? Discover the details of the Israel-Hamas hostage and ceasefire deal, including the release of 33 hostages and ongoing negotiations for remaining captives. Learn about the phases of the agreement, the American hostages held by Hamas, and how families have endured months of advocacy and uncertainty. Stay updated on this pivotal development in the Israel-Gaza conflict

Ilay David shares the gut-wrenching moments leading up to his brother's capture by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

Here are five reasons why the use of the term genocide -- which has come up Macklemore’s "Hinds Hall" song -- in Israel's self-defense campaign is inaccurate, misleading, and dangerous.

The Israeli government and Hamas have agreed to a hostage release deal after 467 days of captivity, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict. The deal, set to begin on January 20, 2025, includes the phased release of Israeli and American hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, alongside humanitarian measures and troop adjustments in Gaza. Negotiations are ongoing for subsequent phases to free remaining hostages, establish a ceasefire, and outline a plan for Gaza's future governance.

As one of the world’s top urban warfare experts, Spencer has become a leading voice explaining the harsh realities Israel faces post–October 7: from Hamas’s use of human shields to the unprecedented scrutiny of the IDF.

Mass protests in Israel, initially sparked by judicial reforms, have escalated due to the Gaza war and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s attempts to remove top officials, including the attorney general and Shin Bet chief. Critics argue these moves threaten democracy and prioritize Netanyahu’s political survival over national security, while supporters see them as necessary to restore governance. As tensions rise, opposition leaders and legal experts warn of deepening political turmoil, with implications for Israel’s future stability and its war strategy.

Israel releases names of 250 Palestinian security prisoners under the U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal. The swap includes Hamas, PIJ, Fatah, and PFLP members, while key figures like Marwan Barghouti remain excluded. Over 1,900 prisoners are set for exchange for 33 hostages as part of the 20-Point Peace Plan.

The brutal execution of six hostages by Hamas in late August has heightened the urgency to free the 100+ hostages still held by the terror group nearly a year after the October 7. Hamas has a long history of murdering U.S. nationals dating back to its founding in the late 1980s. Here's what to know about the Americans killed by Hamas on and before October 7.

U.S. security aid is particularly important in Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, which is constantly under attack.

The Gaza Strip is a 141-square-mile Palestinian enclave located near Israel’s southwestern tip. After the Israeli withdrawal in 2005, the coastal territory has been under the control of the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group. Hamas has launched several significant attacks against Israel from its base in Gaza, including in 2008, 2009, 2014, 2021, and most recently the Israel-Hamas War on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists murdered over 1,200 Israelis, wounded over 12,000, and took 251 hostages.

Since October 7, conversations about the possibility of peace in the region have become increasingly perilous and hostile. After the war, will there be a viable path to peace? Join American Jewish Committee (AJC), Visions of Abraham (VOA), and Yossi Klein Halevi, Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute and Author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, to unpack the complexities of what’s next in the region.

Learn about the violent history behind the phrase “Globalize the Intifada,” and how it is being used today by people rallying in support of Palestinians for widespread violence against Jews in Israel and across the globe.

Major influencers on social media, as well as elected officials and mainstream media news and pundits, have amplified Hamas’ messages and presented those messages “pro-Palestinian.” From the "River to the Sea" to claims that Israel is carrying out the "Genocide of the Palestinians" here are seven hateful and harmful slogans that Hamas and its supporters have unleashed, and many of those supporting Palestinians in America have spread.

What is a colonial state? Think Israel is a settler colonial state? Think again. Here are several reasons why that accusation is categorically false and how it denies the Jewish people's right to their ancestral homeland.

Learn how From the River to the Sea and From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free is an antisemitic call-to-arms for pro-Palestinian activists and a rallying cry for terrorist groups and their sympathizers, from Hamas to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Within hours of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel Saturday, a tidal wave of propaganda and conspiracy theories flooded social media in an effort to shape the narrative – not only for the days to come but for the history books.

One of the growing dangers emerging from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is rampant misinformation on social media, in the news, and on college campuses. This guide clarifies the most common falsehoods about Israel making the rounds today.

Despite its dynamic democracy and thriving economy, Israel is perhaps the most misunderstood and mischaracterized country. As the world’s only Jewish state, it is unfairly singled out in global forums for condemnation over its policies and even mere existence. American Jewish Committee explores this in its tough questions series.