2023 Israel-Hamas war

According to Adam Augustyn, a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica, the war began on
October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Gaza Strip. Using tunnels, boats, drones,
rockets, and suicide bombers, Hamas infiltrated and attacked several towns, cities, and military bases in
southern Israel, killing over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, mostly civilians, and taking more than
240 hostages. Israel retaliated with airstrikes and a blockade of Gaza, and later ordered the evacuation of
northern Gaza, including Gaza City, before launching a ground invasion on October 27. Israel's aim was
to destroy Hamas's infrastructure and leadership, and to rescue the hostages. The war has resulted in over
15,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly in Gaza, and over 1,300 Israeli deaths. The war has also spilled over to
the West Bank, where clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters have killed over 200
Palestinians and wounded thousands more. The war has displaced over 1.7 million Palestinians in Gaza
and 500,000 Israelis, and has caused widespread damage to both sides (The Editors of Encyclopaedia
Britannica, 2023).
The war has also exposed the deep divisions and interests that shape the Middle East and the
world. To understand the war, we need to look at it from different sociological perspectives, such as
functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.
According to Ruthu, a student of Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, pursuing interdisciplinary
studies in international relations, political science and sociology, functionalism sees war as serving
societal needs through various functions. These include resolving international disputes, fostering social
solidarity, preserving freedom and democracy, driving technological innovation, and regulating
population. From this perspective, conflicts between Israel and Hamas can settle territorial and
ideological disputes, strengthen national identity, defend democratic values, stimulate technological
advancements, and alleviate population pressure in a region.
Conflict theory perceives war as a consequence of societal differences and inequalities, serving the
interests of the powerful while oppressing the weak. It attributes conflicts to economic, political, and
ideological factors, benefiting the military-industrial complex, political elite, and media. Additionally,
conflict theory suggests that war serves as a source of profit for the military-industrial complex and is a
tool for political elites and media to manipulate public opinion in favor of their interests.
Symbolic interactionism examines the role of symbols and meanings in shaping social interactions and
behaviors, including the context of war. It emphasizes the impact of definitions and interpretations of
concepts like enemy, ally, threat, security, justice, and peace (J, 2021).
The war has been a humanitarian catastrophe and a political deadlock, and has shown no signs of
ending soon. However, there are some possible solutions that could help end the violence and address the
root causes of the conflict. Some of these solutions are:
- A ceasefire and a prisoner exchange, mediated by a third party, such as the United Nations, the Arab
League, or Egypt, that would stop the hostilities and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and the
release of the hostages.
- A peace process and a two-state solution, based on the international law and the previous agreements.
These solutions are necessary and possible, and they offer a hope for a better future for both Israel and
Palestine, and for the whole region and the world.
References:

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, December 3). Israel-Hamas War of 2023 |

Explanation, Summary, Casualties, & Map. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Israel-Hamas-War-of-2023

J, R. G. (2021, June 7). Three major sociological perspectives on war and society. Sociology

Group: Welcome to Social Sciences Blog. https://www.sociologygroup.com/sociological-

perspectives-war/