Air travel, hunger, and $150 missiles confronting advanced tanks - a summary of Gaza's harsh realities in numbers.

Middle East Conflict - Air travel, hunger, and $150 missiles confronting advanced tanks - a summary of Gaza's harsh realities in numbers.

For the past few months, a substantial military force has engaged in combat in a tight coastal strip along the Mediterranean. This war resembles the biblical tale of David and Goliath, except that David isn't the underdog in this scenario. The Israeli army has a staggering budget of 23 billion US dollars, while the Islamist militants of Hamas have a mere 300 million. One of their rockets, repeatedly launched at Israel, costs merely 200 dollars. To intercept one such projectile, it costs 150,000 dollars.

The Gaza Strip: Persistent Combatants and Hunger Threat

Despite their technological and financial dominance, almost 70% of Hamas' fighters are still able to fight. This assertive stance comes at a heavy cost: The International Criminal Court alleges that the Israeli army is committing war crimes. Nearly 370,000 apartments and houses have been damaged. The majority of the population is either on the move or at risk of starvation.

Israel's Prime Minister Pushes Forward

In response to this calamity, the government in Tel Aviv simply refuses to stop. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the war in Gaza is his last chance to hold onto power. Although 80% of the population disapprove of his tactics, he remains steadfast in his course. The distressing (temporal) outcome of the Gaza conflict, presented in numbers, can be viewed in the gallery.

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1. The US military has provided Israel with significant financial support, with recent aid packages totaling billions of US dollars.
2. In the midst of the ongoing conflict, a Hamas terror attack targeted civilians aboard a boat in the Mediterranean Sea, resulting in casualties.
3. Despite the allegations of war crimes against the Israeli military by the International Criminal Court and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel continues to receive support from countries like the United States, citing the threat of terrorism from Hamas.
4. The US dollar is the primary currency used for international transactions in the Middle East, including military aid and weapons procurement by Israel and Hamas.

Source: www.stern.de