The year 2024, has been tumultuous when it comes to regional and global peace and stability. It’s been a year of intensifying conflicts and major geo-political shifts.
As we have entered the year 2025, global conflicts remain unresolved. From Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas to Ukraine war, the cost has been immense, both in terms of human lives and regional stability.
Let’s rewind to understand how the 2 major ongoing conflicts have shaped the world in the past year.
ISRAEL-PALESTINA WAR
Year 2024 began with Israelis still reeling from the impact of the October 7th attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and have left many thousands and thousands of Gazans dead.
Soon after the attack, Israel declared a war against the Palestinian group, and the war on Gaza has continued ever since. 2024 began with mounting tensions following an interim ruling by the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to do everything to prevent acts of genocide. But the order was neither followed in spirit nor in letter.
Israel prime minister Netanyahu has been determined to go through with his plans about Gaza, irrespective the cost. March 2024 witnessed a deadly food stampede near Gaza city, killing atleast 120 people and wounding scores of them while they were rushing towards a convoy of food aid trucks.
This was followed by 7 aid workers from the US Charity World Central kitchen getting killed due to an Israeli strike in April.
By May, Israel invaded refugee camps in Rafah. The IDF promised a limited operation, but months later southern Gaza city still remains under attack.
Also, Read : As We Welcome Year 2025, Let’s Take A Look Into The Year 2024 Politics
The offensive also shut Rafa’s border crossing with Egypt.
Another critical development followed in the same month. Houthis continued their attack on vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea, disrupting global supply chains.
It was in June and July 2024, that major Israeli onslaught against Hamas began targeting its infrastructure and causing massive casualties.
The Conflict on the Israel Lebanon border intensified, leading to the killing of all Chukra, a top Hezbollah commander. Then came a turning point in the war. On the 31st of July 2024, Hamas political leader Ismail Hanya was killed in a strike well within Iran.
Soon the leadership of Iran backed the group of Hamas and Hezbollah crumbled like a pack of cards. Walkie talkies and pager explosions in September targeted Hezbollah, killing atleast 30 and injuring over 3000 in Lebanon. This was followed by the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah chief.
And then came the ground invasion of Lebanon. October month saw more direct attacks from Iran, with Tehran firing over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel.
This was followed by the killing of Yaya Sinwar, the man who planned the October attack against Israel. The International criminal Court issued warrants against for Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister Yaav Gallant.
On the negotiations front, Qatar decided to no longer host the political office of Hamas, while Israel and Hezbollah agreed on a cease fire to end the 13 month conflict. But at the end of 2024 also, the war has no sign of resolution.
Still, Israel claims to have neutralized over 70% of Hamas’s military capabilities, but the group remains operational. Gaza faces an unprecedented humanitarian disaster with over 45,000 casualties reported.
In this multi pronged war, Israel systematically went after pro Iran countries and groups so as to make sure Iran has no way of retaliating.
First Gaza and West Bank, Lebanon and then Syria which led to the biggest news of the year 2024 fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime after 24 years.
IDF the went beyond Israeli controlled Golan Heights and entered Syria to make sure there is no retaliation from that side.
All Military bases and weapon depots were decimated due to the ceasefire with Hezbollah. Attacks on the northern Israel have subsided slightly, but the Houthis have maintained intermittent strikes on Israel interests in the Red Sea.
Israel has now shifted its focus and resources to the Yemen backed group after decimating Hamas and crippling Hezbollah’s leadership.
The Arab and the Persian Gulf remain divided, with countries like Saudi Arabia focusing on diplomatic engagements while Iran continues to be actively engaged in the conflict.
Domestically, Israel faces political turmoil with widespread criticism of the government’s handling the war. So far, the US led efforts for a ceasefire failed to achieve peace in the region, but the Trump as the president-elect and Netanyahu receiving his unqualified support, things might take a sharp turn this coming year.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Now, in its 3rd year, has evolved significantly throughout 2024. The conflict has shifted dynamics on the battlefield, with broader geopolitical consequences and an unyielding humanitarian toll.
The year 2024 began with Ukraine continuing its counter offensive against Russian forces in the East and the South. The International community remained firmly in Ukraine’s corner, with NATO countries pledging more advanced weaponry, although US aid remained blocked for lack of US Congress approval.
In February 2024, Russian forces captured the town of Avdeevka. This was followed by a massive spring offensive by Russia in March focused on retaking areas lost in the previous year 2023 counter offensive.
By mod year, Ukraine responded with its own counter offensive. The focus was on Crimea, a critical warm water pot for Russia. This operation, though costly, demonstrated Ukraine’s capability to breach Russian defensive lines. These strikes proved to be major psychological blow to Russia.
NATO support to Ukraine grew with increased deliveries of F16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark. With increase support, Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region near the border in August. It turned out to be the largest foreign attack on Russia since the World War-II. It was followed by a counter attack by Russia in September, and soon more international actors got involved.
Russia deepened its ties with Iran, acquiring more advanced drones and potentially ballistic missiles. China maintained its ambiguous stance, providing economic life lines to Moscow without directly supplying weapons.
Reports of North Korea Sending to troops and ammunition to Russia also began surfacing. This war is not just an conventional war, but more so non conventional warfare methods have been used such as spying, espionage, assassinations.