In 2024, wars in regions from Gaza to Ukraine and beyond

As the year comes to an end, Israel’s aggressive actions against Palestinians continue unabated in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Simultaneously, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia shows no signs of resolution, with a ceasefire remaining elusive.

In Gaza and the West Bank, violence has escalated to alarming levels, with over 35,000 Palestinians reported killed in 2024, making it the deadliest year since the onset of Israeli military actions and Zionist hostilities in 1948. Ukraine has also faced its most lethal period, with a total of 67,000 fatalities recorded on both sides of the ongoing conflict.

In Lebanon, a tenuous ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel has been in effect since late November, lasting for 60 days. Nevertheless, nearly 4,000 Lebanese lives have been lost this year, and the Netanyahu administration has frequently breached the ceasefire with targeted attacks under various justifications.

Syria witnessed an unexpected shift in late November when an opposition offensive led to the sudden collapse of the Assad regime after an 11-day campaign. Since that time, the country has experienced an unusual calm, contrasting sharply with its history of Baathist oppression.

Overall, 2024 has been marked by significant bloodshed, with a total of 233,000 fatalities, reflecting a 30 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project. The incidence of fatal violence has doubled since 2019, leaving one in eight individuals affected by conflict. Among these, Palestinians have faced “the highest level of violence,” as reported by ACLED.

This summary encapsulates the key developments in four major conflicts: Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Syria.

The Gaza Conflict

The year 2024 marks a profoundly tragic period in the narrative of Palestinian hardship, eclipsing over a century of Zionist oppression and violence.

In the midst of ongoing hostilities, there is a potential for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, as representatives from both parties engage in discussions in Qatar.

Recently, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the current negotiations as “the closest we’ve been to a hostage deal since the last deal,” alluding to the November 2023 agreement that facilitated the release of over 100 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees.

Despite these negotiations, experts express doubt regarding the cessation of Israel’s occupation of Gaza. A recent report from the New York Times indicated that Israel has established 19 military installations throughout the Mediterranean territory. Additionally, Israeli forces have intensified their military presence in central Gaza, effectively creating a division between the northern and southern areas.

Kamel Hawwash, a Palestinian academic, author, and political commentator, interprets Israel’s growing military presence as indicative of a “prolonged” occupation. “Israel will remain wherever it chooses because there is no one to dislodge it from any part of Gaza,” Hawwash remarked, highlighting the backing from the US and Western nations for Tel Aviv.

Following the events of October 7, Israeli officials hinted at plans to completely remove Palestinians from Gaza. While Hawwash refrains from labeling the current military operation as an effort to entirely eradicate Palestinians from the region, he contends that Israel has “quickly recognized that with support from the US and the UK, they can act with impunity.”

Ukraine War

Since October 2023, Israeli military actions have resulted in the deaths of over 45,000 Palestinians, including 14,500 children, and have left more than 106,000 individuals injured. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted the dire situation, stating in a social media update that nearly all 1.1 million children in Gaza urgently require protection and mental health assistance.

In the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, 2024 has proven to be a particularly violent year. Russian forces have gained significant ground against Kiev, advancing through eastern Ukrainian regions. In response to increased assaults from Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration launched an unexpected counteroffensive, seizing portions of the Kursk region within Russia.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported that in 2024, Moscow has taken control of nearly 4,500 square kilometers of Ukrainian land, advancing at a pace of approximately 30 square kilometers daily. Recently, Russian forces have moved closer to the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, reinforcing their hold on critical areas.

However, a significant incident occurred last week in Moscow when an explosion near the Kremlin resulted in the death of General Igor Kirillov, who was in charge of the military’s radiological, chemical, and biological department. Ukraine has claimed responsibility for this attack.

Sergei Markov, a Russian political analyst and former advisor to Vladimir Putin, suggested that Kirillov was targeted not only by Ukraine but also by American interests due to his efforts against US chemical and biological operations in Ukraine. “It was American retribution against him,” Markov stated.

In 2022, Kirillov, during a speech, characterized the Pentagon’s activities in Ukraine as a cover for “illegal military and biological research,” alleging that members of the US Democratic Party were financing bioweapons initiatives in the country. He specifically mentioned Metabiota, a key contractor for the Pentagon, which he claimed was receiving funds from Hunter Biden’s investment fund.

In response, Ukraine accused Kirillov of using chemical weapons against its citizens.

The year 2024 also witnessed a significant Ukrainian cross-border operation targeting Russia’s Kursk region, which the Wall Street Journal referred to as “the first foreign invasion of Russian territory since World War II.” This operation was intended to showcase Ukraine’s resilience and underscore its need for ongoing military support from the West, despite Russian progress in eastern Ukraine.

Kursk, historically notable for being the site of the largest armored confrontation during WWII between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, once again became a symbolic battleground in 2024. The operation served as a strong signal from the Zelenskyy administration to NATO allies: Ukraine is still capable of mounting a defense and warrants increased military assistance.

Israeli war on Lebanon

Israeli military actions this year have also escalated, extending beyond Gaza into Lebanon, a neighboring country that has faced decades of invasions and cross-border assaults from Israel.

Israel’s operations in Lebanon commenced in September with the use of pagers and walkie-talkies to orchestrate explosions, a covert strategy that resulted in numerous fatalities and thousands of injuries. Last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Israel’s involvement in these lethal assaults.

Subsequently, Israeli airstrikes targeted Lebanon, eliminating key Hezbollah commanders and prominent political figures. In late September, the long-standing leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli attack, along with Hashem Safieddine, a significant Hezbollah leader anticipated to succeed Nasrallah, in early October.

In October, Israeli ground troops entered Lebanon for the first time since the 2006 conflict with Hezbollah, marking the sixth instance of Israeli occupation of the small Mediterranean nation. The military actions and occupation resulted in the deaths of thousands of Lebanese and left over 16,000 individuals injured.

On November 27, a ceasefire agreement was reached between Hezbollah and Israel, with both parties claiming victory for their respective reasons. However, this tenuous ceasefire has been compromised by more than 200 violations attributed to Israeli forces, as reported by Lebanese officials.

End of Assad Regime

Amidst the ongoing violence throughout the year, 2024 also witnessed the collapse of Syria’s Baathist regime under Bashar al-Assad. The regime’s authoritarian rule, maintained through extreme violence and oppression, led to the deaths of over 500,000 individuals and displaced nearly half of Syria’s population during the country’s devastating 13-year civil war.

Although armed anti-regime factions were unable to achieve victory against the Assad regime, which received support from Russia and Iran during the protracted civil war that began with the Arab Spring in 2011, they did not capitulate. Instead, they retreated to the northwestern province of Idlib, where they continued to resist the regime’s aggressive advances.

In late November, groups opposing the regime, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), initiated a rapid offensive that swiftly advanced through northern Syria, seizing Aleppo, the nation’s largest city with a rich historical background. Following this, they directed their efforts toward Hama, a bastion of anti-Baath sentiment that has faced repression since the 1960s under the Assad family’s rule.

The rapid acquisition of both Aleppo and Hama—cities that had remained beyond the reach of opposition forces throughout the civil war—indicated the impending downfall of the Assad regime.

On December 8, anti-regime forces entered Damascus, the historic capital of Syria, without facing any opposition. The regime’s military had disappeared, prompting Bashar al-Assad and his family to flee to Moscow.

In the wake of the regime’s disintegration, the anti-regime factions established a transitional government, with Mohammed al Bashir as the new prime minister and Ahmed al Sharaa leading HTS. Thus far, they have managed a relatively smooth transition of power, instilling a sense of optimism in a nation ravaged by conflict.

“This is a message to all the oppressed and revolutionaries around the world: Truth will prevail and the people will prevail despite all the injustice and bloodshed,” states Omar Alhariri, a journalist from Daraa. “Do not lose hope.”

1. Although the violent conflict in Syria has reached a relatively stable conclusion, numerous other global conflicts, which have inflicted significant human suffering, persist without any apparent resolution in sight.

In Sudan, a civil war lasting 20 months between the military and a paramilitary group has resulted in the largest displacement crisis in the world and an escalating famine, displacing 30 percent of the population and claiming over 24,000 lives.

Similarly, in Myanmar, the conflict between military authorities and anti-government factions has intensified this year, coinciding with the International Criminal Court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for the nation’s top military official.