The Told Story of the Gaza War

All violent conflicts and wars involve at least two competing narratives. This is also the case for the conflict commonly referred to as the Gaza War, which began on October 7, 2023, and lasted 471 days until the first phase of the ceasefire was implemented. The war involved, on one side, Israel with substantial support from the United States, and on the other, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, alongside Palestinian actors in Gaza and the West Bank, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran. This analysis relies exclusively on verified information; therefore, the title refers to the story of the Gaza war. The paper aims to provide a systematic account of the events of October 7, 2023, followed by an examination of the military operations conducted by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as the broader regional escalation involving Lebanon, the Houthis, and Iran. Additionally, the study contextualizes the Israeli and Palestinian historical backgrounds. The article concludes with a discussion of my key insights drawn from the war.