Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be described as one of the
most dragging and contentious modern conflicts. It is important to know about
the human cost of this conflict in terms of understanding of its effect on both
communities. The paper shall discuss the Israeli-Palestinian deaths since 1948
with a detailed review of the number of victims who lost their lives at the
different stages of the conflict, the causes of the fatalities, and the
continued effects to peace and reconciliation.
The Beginning of the Conflict: 1948
The War of Independence
The struggle got serious on May 14, 1948 when David
Ben-Gurion announced the founding of the State of Israel. On the next day, the
military intervention of neighboring Arab states occurred, which resulted in
the Arab-Israeli War. In this war, an estimated number of Israeli Jews were
killed amounting to over 6,000 which included about 4,000 soldiers and 2,000
civilians. More than 10,000 soldiers and civilians were killed by the Arab
side. Also, the war displaced almost 500,000 Palestinian Arabs with many having
turned into refugees.
The Aftermath of 1948
The terms were to perpetuate violence and instability after
the battle that was held in 1948. A big step was taken when Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed in 1964 with Palestine
nationalism. The PLO was meant to unite different Palestinian groups and
represent their cause, but it happened to be related to armed struggle with
Israel, too.
The Intifadas: Revolts and Violence Increasing
First Intifada (1987-1993)
It began as a grass-roots movement in the West Bank and GazaStrip in December, 1987, and is called by Palestinians the First Intifada,
whilst by Israelis as the intifada.This was the time where many casualties were
experienced. It has been estimated that about 1,100 Palestinians died in the
uprising with 160 Israelis dead. This intifada revealed the anger of the peopleof Palestine and developed the Palestinian people's interests to the
international platform.
Second Intifada (2000-2005)
The situation under meltdown, the appearance of political
Islamic Fundamentalism were among the most noticeable causes of the second
Intifada or the Al-Aqsa Intifada which broke out in September 2000 after the
visit of Temple Mount by Ariel Sharon.The second intifada was distinguished by
heightened violence and military conflicts.
The number of deaths at this time was much more with
estimates showing that about 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis were killed.
The violence involved suicide bombing, military attacks in addition to counter
attacks, further establishing hatred between the two opponents.
Ongoing Violence and Military Operations
Gaza War
The campaigns by the Israeli forces in Gaza have recorded many lives since the end of the Second Intifada. Such were vividly remembered as Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009), Operation Protective Edge (2014) and Operation Guardian of the Walls (2021). These operations have also claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians with at least 1,400 and over 2,200 killed in each of the major wars.Israeli losses have been experienced too, but the number involved is quite less.
The Humanitarian Impact
Violence has had a significant humanitarian implication on
both the Israelis and Palestinians. This number of deaths is not just someone on
a paper, this is a family divided, communities shattered and a cycle of
mourning which continues the war. The death has led to anger and resentment, an
aspect that makes peace-making harder and harder.
The Role of International Community
Diplomatic Efforts
Since time immemorial, different world players have tried to
mediate peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. There was the Oslo Accords
in the 1990s, which was a critical attempt to formulate a peace framework,
though violence persisted and the number of deaths escalated. The acts of
violence committed by both parties have been frequently denounced by the
international community, still, the final solution is not possible.
Recognition of Palestinian Rights
In 1974 the UN General Assembly acknowledged that the
Palestinian people had
the right to be independent. This acknowledgment has played a critical role
in the Palestinian strive to get statehood and also in the minds of the
international community regarding the conflict. Nevertheless, continued acts of
violence and the number of deaths have made it hard to create a stable
resolution to the conflict.
The casualties between Israeli and Palestinians since 1948
clearly show how this long lasting conflict has had its toll on a human face.
The resolution should come in the form of peace as lives have been lost in the
thousands and families impacted in the millions. Historical discourse and
the reasons that high death tolls happened are the key names in being able
to engage in dialogue and work to reconciliation. Much like the world has been
watching, the prospects of peace offer the most important goal of the Israelis
and the Palestinians given the necessity to take the root causes of conflict
into consideration and strive for a lasting solution to the problem.