This Week in Explainers: How Israel-Hamas war, US gun violence continue to shock us

We are entering the last two months of the year two days from now and war and violence are everywhere. While the Israel-Hamas conflict has the attention of the world, the war in Ukraine has been raging on for more than 600 days. Israel continues carpet-bombing the Hamas-controlled Gaza. It is expanding its ground operations and has unveiled a devastating new weapon. A freed hostage has offered insight into the conditions she faced and the mindset of her captors. America has witnessed yet another mass shooting – the 23rd of the year and this time in Maine – and data shows this may be its most deadly year ever when it comes to gun violence. And finally, in a startling development bird flu has reached Antarctica for the first time. Let’s get you caught up on the big developments of the week from around the world. 1. As Israel prepares to kick off a fully-fledged ground invasion of Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces unveiled a new munitions system to take the fight to Hamas. The Iron Sting, developed by the Israeli military and a leading defence company, is a precision laser and GPS-guided munition system.

מפא"ת, זרוע היבשה בצה"ל ואלביט מערכות השלימו לאחרונה סדרת ניסויי ירי מוצלחת בפצצת מרגמה מדויקת מונחית לייזר ו-GPS. הסדרה חותמת את שלב הפיתוח של הפצמ"ר, "עוקץ פלדה", לקראת המסירה לצה"ל. הפצמ״ר נועד לאפשר אש מדויקת וקטלנית בשטחים פתוחים ובמתחמים אורבניים, תוך צמצום נזק היקפי. pic.twitter.com/CJscK2zBbw

— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) March 14, 2021

Its proponents claim it is to be used in urban environments and minimise the risk of civilian casualties (sounds familiar?) and that it can fire off 120 mm mortar rounds with ‘maximum accuracy’. The development comes against the backdrop of Israel being accused of committing war crimes in Gaza in response to the 7 October Hamas attack. In this piece, we examine the origins of this system and its development, and take a look at what experts are saying about the weapon that 'changes the battlefield'. 2. An 85-year-old woman taken hostage by Hamas has spoken about the ‘hell’ she experienced. Yocheved Lifshitz, one of over 200 hostages taken by Hamas, spent 16 days in captivity. Now, Lifshitz has shed light on her ordeal – from being beaten with sticks during the journey to Gaza to being taken underground and forced to navigate a spider web of tunnels. Lifshitz also offered some fascinating insights into her captors. This is a piece you absolutely will not want to miss. 3. Imran Khan’s legal troubles continue to deepen. The Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaaf chief is facing over a decade in prison for allegedly leaking the contents of a classified cable. He has alleged that the top-secret document from a Pakistani diplomat is proof positive of a conspiracy by the United States to oust him following a trip to Ukraine. [caption id=“attachment_13288012” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Imran Khan is on trial in the Official Secrets Act Case today. Reuters[/caption] Imran has claimed that the contents of the top-secret document appeared in the media from other sources and that he is facing a rush to judgment in the case. An explainer about the genesis of the case and the potential fallout for the former prime minister of Pakistan. 4. China’s legislature has passed a Patriotic Education Law that seeks to target the country’s youth, cyberspace and communities overseas. This piece takes an exhaustive look at the law, its aims, how it will work and its novel clauses targeting parents. It also looks at how Beijing has for long used patriotic education as a tool of control and brainwashing – most memorably after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 – and how it has given rise to a generation of outspoken patriots. Beijing has made its move as Xi Jinping continues to tighten his hold on power in China. The piece also takes a look at how China has changed from its leaders demanding ‘courageous experiments’’ to a much narrower outlook under Xi – and where Chin could go from here. 5. A gunman in Maine has left at least 18 dead and dozens injured. The suspect Robert Card was missing and considered ‘armed and dangerous’. After a two-day manhunt, he was found dead. [caption id=“attachment_13304832” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] In this image taken from a video released by the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, a shooter identified as Robert Card enters Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, Maine. AP[/caption] The shooting once again put the spotlight on the gun problem in the US. This piece takes a look at the horrifying statistics that have resulted from America’s unending and unfathomable obsession with firearms and the worst mass shootings of 2023.

 6. It sounds like the start of a science fiction movie – British scientists discovering a deadly variant of the bird flu for the first time in Antarctica. The disease has already killed millions of birds in 2022. Now, it is feared that an outbreak among the species of the region, never having been exposed to such viruses, could jeopardise the delicate balance of the Antarctica ecosystem. We explain how the startling discovery was made and why experts are concerned. [caption id=“attachment_13313492” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Bird flu has been detected in the Antarctica region, a key breeding ground for different species of birds, for the first time. Representational picture/Reuters[/caption] 7. Though the world can be a harsh and terrible place, stories of hope abound. Like the tale of 14-year-old Heman Bekele who has invented an inexpensive bar of soap to 'treat' skin cancer. “I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world. I have always been interested in biology and technology, and this challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas,”  Bekele said in his submission for the $25,000 award he won. Bekele said he would use the prize money to pay for college and patent his ideas. Despite everything, the kids, it seems, are all right. Watch this space for more explainers.