History and Context: Israel-Hamas War

When word came that a deal had been reached that would provide a pathway for the release of the 98 hostages still held by terrorists in Gaza, I felt relieved, but I could not yet celebrate. Of course, I will enthusiastically welcome the return of the hostages and the end of the torture they have endured over the last 15 months. But until every hostage is returned home, we cannot rest.

Will Syria’s alliance of disparate rebel groups be able to ensure prosperity and peaceful coexistence in Syria and the surrounding region? Experts from AJC’s Center for a New Middle East in Washington D.C., AJC Jerusalem, and AJC Abu Dhabi shared what they see from their vantage points.

The Syrian Civil War has reignited, with Islamist rebels seizing Aleppo and threatening Assad’s government, as his allies—Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah—face their own conflicts. This instability poses risks for Israel, including heightened security threats from radical groups near its border, while also impacting U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region.

AJC experts stationed around the world share their insight on how a second Trump administration may impact key issues such as combating antisemitism, global support for Israel, expanding the Abraham Accords, and countering the Iranian regime.

“Listen to me, Edan. I'm here. I'm with you. I love you. Just protect yourself. Just be safe.” These were the last words Yael Alexander spoke to her then-19 year old son, Edan, on the morning of October 7, 2023. Edan was later taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Yael joins us from her New Jersey home to tell her story.

Get the facts about the Inverted Red Triangle, an anti-Israel symbol often weaponized under the guise of "Palestinian Resistance" to identify, harass, and target Israelis and Jews, glorify Hamas’ terror, and call for increased violence against the Jewish people.

Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on November 5, 2024, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. His record includes strong support for Israel, highlighted by initiatives such as recognizing Jerusalem as its capital, advocating for expanded peace agreements like the Abraham Accords, and taking a firm stance on Iran with sanctions and military actions. Trump has pledged to make advancing the Abraham Accords a top priority and maintain a rigorous approach to countering Iranian influence in the region.

Shlomo Mantzur, 86—the oldest hostage held by Hamas terrorists—is a loving husband and grandfather who escaped the antisemitic, 1941 Iraqi Farhud massacre and emigrated to Israel, only to face another pogrom 82 years later in the Jewish state.

Naama Levy, just 20 years old, has been held hostage by Hamas terrorists for more than a year.

Who is Ta-Nehisi Coates? And what is Ta-Nehisi Coates famous for? A celebrated writer and public intellectual known for his works on race in America, he has recently stirred controversy with his new book, The Message.

Known as the mastermind behind the October 7 Hamas massacre that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages, Yahya Sinwar was one of the most wanted terrorists. On October 17, 2024, Israeli officials announced the IDF killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in the southern Gaza Strip.

AJC CEO Ted Deutch reacts to the heartbreaking news of six Israeli hostages found dead in Gaza, including one Israeli American. Ted emphasizes the ongoing threat posed by Hamas, a terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of over 35 Americans since October 7.

In the wake of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, here are five planks AJC is urging Republican and Democrats to incorporate into their platforms and address during their conventions.

Since October 7, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in near-daily exchanges of Hezbollah rocket fire and Israeli reprisals, with Hezbollah launching increasingly larger rocket, drone, and arson attacks on northern Israel that threaten a wider war. Here's what to know about Hezbollah's Radwan.

At AJC Global Forum 2024, American Jewish Committee (AJC) debuted Heroes of Israel, three stories of Israeli citizens who have risen to become extraordinary heroes in the wake of Hamas’ October 7 massacre. Watch the stories of Ofir Libshtein, Nasreen Yousef, and Zvi Reder.

On May 10, the Biden administration released a report assessing Israel’s conduct amid the ongoing war Israel-Hamas war.
The 46-page State Department report, formally known as the National Security Memorandum 20, was ordered by President Biden earlier this year to verify whether seven different countries - including Israel – adhere to international law in their use of U.S.-made weapons.

Adding another dangerous twist to the Israel-Hamas War and its impact, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced he is simultaneously seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, along with three leaders of the genocidal terror group Hamas.

Noa Fay is a Jewish student leader at Columbia University, the epicenter of the anti-Israel protest movement that has unfolded on American college campuses in recent weeks. Pro-Hamas, antisemitic, and anti-Israel demonstrators have occupied academic buildings, set up overnight tent encampments, and staged demonstrations, while Jewish students have faced increasing threats, antisemitism, and violence.

Two initiatives that claim to help the Palestinian people are currently making waves at the UN. Both support the unilateral and unconditional advancement of Palestinian statehood. Sadly, if successful, these resolutions would have the opposite effect, setting back the fulfillment of Palestinian national aspirations.

Rape and sexual violence are war crimes and violations of international law. Yet that was overlooked in an Oct. 13 statement by U.N. Women, which equated the Hamas attacks on civilians in Israel with defensive actions taken by Israel and made no mention of Hamas’ barbarism.