The Israel-Hamas War One Year Later: Mass Violence and Palestinian Dispossession

This essay analyzes the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip as it has unfolded in the year since Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks. It first details the death and destruction Tel Aviv has wrought over that period, the predictions for mass casualties to come, and the state-sanctioned violence and theft faced by Palestinians not just in Gaza but across the occupied territories and Israel. It then examines why Washington's support of Tel Aviv has remained steadfast despite domestic and international condemnation, arguing that President Joe Biden's Zionist ideology has played a decisive role. The article further shows that Israel's interest in the territorial dispossession of Palestinians under the cover of war has led its right-wing government to thwart efforts at a ceasefire that would return the hostages still held by Hamas. The analysis concludes with a reflection on the antiwar protests that continue to roil US campuses as Donald Trump returns to power.