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On October 13, 2023, Israel began ground operations in the Gaza Strip, less than a week after the Hamas attack on October 7. A year later, Gaza has been reduced to rubble: 90 percent of the population is displaced, over 42,000 people are confirmed dead, with thousands more likely dead or dying, and Israel now having invaded Lebanon on October 1st. Israel continues to occupy Gaza and is engaged in “systematically emptying” northern Gaza; while at the same time, Israel has escalated the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon and may launch new strikes on Iran, potentially dragging in the U.S., the broader region, and even possibly Russia and China into a global conflagration.
Where is the Middle East – and US policy toward the Middle East – a year after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 and Israel’s ensuing atrocities in Gaza? Is the region moving towards even greater conflict, or is de-escalation still possible? What does the past year tell us about the strength (or lack thereof) of international law, human rights conventions, and America’s own regulations in terms of arming and supporting parties at war?
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