As the Israel-Palestine war continues to escalate, the European Union passed a resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, Palestine. Along with the EU, the United Nations and U.S. government are planning to get involved as well. The hope for these entities is to institute a cease-fire in Gaza, Palestine and work out a “two-state solution” to ease tensions.

The conditions on which would allow the ceasefire to carry through is that Hamas be demolished and that all Israeli hostages be released. The calling of a ceasefire split the European Union countries due to different opinions, with 312 votes in favor, 131 against and 72 abstentions. 

The “two-state solution” proposed establishing Israel and Palestine as two separate countries and to put Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories to an end. The EU wants to pass this resolution to dismantle Hamas and get the Israeli hostages back. 

The humanitarian crisis Palestinians are facing was a large factor taken into consideration while making this decision. They acknowledged the rapidly deteriorating condition of Palestinian and the civilians and the importance of putting an end to the fatalities. 

Since Oct. 7, 2023, 1,139 Israelis have died. In Gaza, Palestine, 25,105 people died and 62,681 were left wounded. It was concluded from the death toll that 1% of Palestine’s population of 2.27 million people prior to Oct. 7 has been killed.

Moneeb Sarmad,the Director of Education and Youth at the Islamic Association of Lewisville Flower Mound (IALFM), said he and the local Muslim community are heartbroken seeing the tragedies in Palestine. He said it has made many residents fearful as islamophobia rises across the U.S. 

“In no shape or form does any Muslim feel comfortable as to what’s happening in Palestine,” Sarmad said. “The massacre of people, innocent lives being lost, and people that have been pushed out of the houses. Unfortunately, it’s part of the whole saga that’s been going on for close to a century now. It’s absolutely devastating.”

Local Jewish resident and senior Kennedy Cagle said she understands why both sides are fighting over the land. However, she believes that there are much simpler ways to handle the situation rather than war and the killing of innocent people on both sides.

“Hamas is a terrorist group,” Cagle said. “They’re just going to try and take over, and the President of Israel was like, ‘Okay, bring it on. We’ll come right back at you.’ I think it’s wrong on both sides, and the President of Israel didn’t try to do anything first. They just started going to war instead of trying to calm the situation down.”

But the conflict has extended to Israel and Hezbollah — Lebanon’s government. While conflict between the two countries is not new, the Biden Administration and European countries hope to not have the situation escalate and for history to repeat itself. 

Hezbollah claims they are not interested in spiking a war with Israel. Due to the hundreds of Palestinans being killed per day, they are more opposed to agreeing on a border deal. Because of Hezbollah’s allyship and support towards Palestine, if there is no cease-fire in Gaza soon, there will also be no border agreement between Lebanon and Israel. This introduces the potential of another full-fledged war.

Cagle said she believes that neither side of the conflict is completely justified. Moreover, she said there is a clear distinction between the civilians and governments of both Palestine and Israel.

“There’s things Israel could have done differently, and there’s things Palestine could have done differently,” said Cagle. “But I stand with the people because they haven’t done anything wrong.”

Director Sarmad says a lack of humanity and empathy is what allowed the conflict to get to this point. He says his hopes are for people to see the people of Palestine as human beings, and put aside politics and prejudice to give the people justice. 

“Through this conflict, people have developed character and resilience and hope for themselves and the people in Palestine.” Sarmad said. “In our community it has brought people, interestingly, closer to God than before.”