Israel and the Gaza Strip

Backgrounder if you are studying Global Politics

1. What is the history of conflict between Hamas and Israel?
2. How has the current conflict differed from previous ones?
3. What is the situation like in the occupied West Bank?
4. Is Gaza considered a country? Why or why not?
5. What is the current status of Palestine in terms of statehood?
6. What was the main objective of the peace process between Israel and Palestine?
7. Does Hamas represent all Palestinians? Explain.
8. What is the ideology of Hamas and where does it come from?
9. How do non-Muslim Palestinians view Hamas?
10. What is the significance of the current conflict in terms of its impact on the region?
11. What is the Muslim Brotherhood and how does it relate to Palestine?
12. Does the Islamist ideology represent all Palestinians? Explain.
13. How has the PLO's stance towards Israel changed over time?
14. Why does Hamas see Israel as its enemy?
15. What is the history of Palestine and how far back does it date?
16. Who identifies as Palestinians and where are they located?
17. What are some of the problems with referring to the region as Palestine?
18. Who financially supports Hamas and why?
19. What is Iran's stance on Hamas and its actions?
20. Which non-state players support Palestine and how have they shown their support?

More from the BBC as useful intro here.