Middle East

When Rabbi Hody Nemes heard about the murder of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, he was horrified. 

Acts of antisemitism and Islamophobia have increased on U.S. college campuses since Oct. 7.

“The war between Israel and Hamas was effectively started with a hostage crisis,” Dr. Danielle Gilbert told Blue Marble.

We compiled five expert lists of recommended reading from diverse authors, viewpoints, and backgrounds to help explain the history, context, and experiences shaping the war.

Despite its small size, Qatar has historically played an outsize role in negotiating with organizations or countries that the U.S. doesn’t have relations with. Most recently, Qatar is helping to negotiate the release of hostages taken on Oct. 7 from Israel by Hamas. 

The difference is not simply semantic.

"Only last week we were in Jerusalem, in the Dead Sea together, hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian women calling the leaders of both sides to begin negotiations before things escalated. We cannot live like this anymore. We deserve peace. All of us in this region." -Dr. Yael Braudo-Bahat, Women Wage Peace

Before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people, most Germans thought Israelis were slightly more responsible than Palestinians for the conflict between them. But new polling shows that the recent violence has changed public opinion in Germany.

"My family's been waiting patiently in these decrepit refugee camps for 75 years. And it looks like now, they're going to be displaced again." - Fidaa Elaydi, Palestinian American

"I think for the first time in my life, I truly felt personally affected and moved and despairful about a political situation that's happening thousands of miles away." - Kevin Khadavi, Student at Stanford University