A Brief Comparison of the Israel-Palestine and Russo-Ukrainian Wars
- Aayan Muhammad Zahidi
- Oct 7
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 14
I humbly request that the reader understands, in no way do I undermine the significance of either of these horrific conflicts. This article aims to be an unbiased, factual representation of the statistics and accounts available to the public in regards to both of these conflicts, and as such, there will be no opinionated points in this article, with the exception of the final paragraph and message.
General Overview and Combatants
Let us first start with the general aspects of the conflict, for those who might need a bit of a reminder. The Russo-Ukrainian war is a currently ongoing conflict between The Russian Federation, Ukraine (there is no “full” name for Ukraine), and various paramilitary organisations who hold territory in eastern Ukraine, the warzone of the so called “special military operation”, at least according to The Kremlin. The Israel-Palestine war, sometimes called the Israel-Hamas war by Western media outlets, is the currently ongoing conflict between the State of Israel and the Hamas-controlled portion of the State of Palestine; over time more combatants have joined the war, being the Al-Aqsa brigade of the Palestinian Authority, the Houthi militia group, Lebanon under the Hezbollah party, and a multitude of Palestinian militias that have participated in rocket attacks.
The Russo-Ukrainian war started on February 24th, 2022, after Russian forces crossed the border into Ukraine by the will of Putin, whereas the Israel-Palestine war has been ongoing for many decades, stemming from the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, with a recent escalation occurring on October 7th, 2023 due to the incursion made by the military wing of Hamas into Israeli territory.
Origins of Each Conflict
Israel-Palestine
The Israel-Palestine conflict has its origins in World War I, where the Ottoman Empire, the then controller of the land comprising Israel and Palestine today, capitulated to the Allied Powers in 1918, specifically the British Empire, leading to the creation of Mandatory Palestine. Previously and during this time, Jewish immigrants started flooding to the region under their new ideology, Zionism, which claimed the Holy Land for themselves. Under new ethnic and religious tensions between the Jewish and Arab inhabitants, the British Empire divvied up the land between the two parties. What followed was a brief war in which the new State of Israel emerged victorious, and ever since then resentment has been growing, culminating in a few wars with neighbouring Arab states amid the 20th century, and now the current conflict.
Russo-Ukrainian
The Russo-Ukrainian war can be traced back to the transfer of the region of Crimea, in 1954, from the Russian Soviet Federative Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, under Khrushchev's U.S.S.R., commemorating a treaty signed three hundred years prior. All was peaceful until the collapse of the Soviet Union; with the post-Soviet states in decline, Russia supported pro-Kremlin factions in the Ukrainian elections, leading to a revolt, and in the midst of the chaos of the Ukrainian government, Russia seized control of Crimea, annexing it in 2014 under the vise of liberating ethnic Russians in the region. Since then, Russia has supported various paramilitary groups in eastern Ukraine, with a recent escalation in 2022 defining our current view of the war.
Comparison of Origins
The roots of both of these conflicts can be attributed to 20th century political shenanigans, although coming about in different ways. One was a consequence of a declining empire finally being toppled, whilst the other was merely a technicality in the grand scheme of things until very recently. Both partially rely on ethnicity for justification, although one significantly more than the other. Both escalated/erupted due to the result of a collapsing state; the British, Ottomans, or Soviets. All in all, they share many similarities, but crucial differences describe how they developed into the situations that we know today.
Military
Israel-Palestine
The Israel-Palestine war shows us how guerilla tactics and urban warfare dominate the battlefield, even when outnumbered and outclassed by superior forces. Whilst initially gaining some ground in the initial week or so of the war, much of the Gaza strip is occupied by Israeli forces, most notably the northern regions, with blockades on all sides being enforced on the city of two million.
The State of Israel currently holds the 15th most powerful military in the world, trailing behind Germany at 14th, but faring better than its adversary, Iran, at 16th. In comparison, Hamas cannot be reliably measured on a global scale compared to other national militaries, as its militant characteristics makes it and the army of a nation impossible to compare by equivalent standards. As a militia group, it has different goals and wages warfare in different wars compared to a standing army. Militia groups tend to be less equipped and rely mainly on tactics and manpower to achieve success, however, Hamas is known to be one of the most highly equipped militias in the world, boasting anti-tank missiles, and a mind-boggling quantity of unguided rockets. Despite these possessions, it is completely and utterly outclassed by the IDF in almost every material aspect, for its strengths lies not in their equipment, but their tactics and techniques, such as underground tunnel networks and ambushes. On the Palestinian side are also the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Iran; the former two have participated in ground warfare, and all of them firing missile strikes into Israel.
Russo-Ukrainian
Most people believed that the conflict would be over and done within a few weeks, months at most, yet we see that not to be the case. Despite the superior quality and number of equipment upon the advent of the war, stagnation on both sides has been prominent, with a small but notable momentum for the Russian side.
After the war kicked off, Ukraine has been continually supplied with military equipment and financial aid, whilst Russia has derived some aid from Iran in the form of suicide drones. Along with that, thousands of North Korean soldiers have been sent to the frontlines to fight for Russia during increasing periods of amicability between Russia and North Korea. Ukraine has been slowly losing land, but continues to attempt counter-offensives into Russian-occupied territory. Overall, Russia ranks 2nd in terms of military strength, whilst Ukraine is a full eighteen places below, sitting at number twenty. The paramilitary groups that operate in the Donbas region of Ukraine also play an important role in the conflict, with Russia relying on them to fight and aid in their military ventures. The Wagner Group, a fairly prominent mercenary group, also assisted Russia in the early stages of the war.
Comparison
Both wars involve a significant disparity in military strength between the main parties, and both involve militant and militia groups fighting for their own interests. Overall, Ukraine and Russia are more evenly matched compared to Israel and Palestine, due to a combination of Western support, such as military and financial support, and the incompetence of the Russian military due to corruption and internal issues.
Casualties, Deaths, and Statistics
Israel-Palestine
According to various sources, such as the Gaza Health Ministry, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UNRWA, and hundreds of independent sources from journalists, academics, and volunteers, the death toll of the Gaza strip sits at about 66,000, and on the Israeli side, 2,000 deaths have been reported. Out of these figures, approximately 80% of the fatalities on the Palestinian side were civilians, and on the Israeli side, about 70%. When it comes to injuries, about 160,000 Palestinians suffer from some sort of debilitating injury, whereas just over 5,000 Israelis suffer the same fate.
Russo-Ukrainian
Due to the nature of this conflict, accurate sources and verifiable accounts of deaths and casualties are almost impossible to obtain, with both sides inflating enemy losses and deflating their own. However, we can look at various other estimates and determine the approximate range of deaths and casualties, which goes as follows. Russian deaths range from 200,000 to 300,000, with injuries amounting to around 800,000. As for Ukrainian forces, figures range from about 60,000 to 100,000 killed, and 400,000 wounded. Civilian casualties on both sides are even harder to measure, but it sits at around 16,000 deaths and 36,000 injuries for Ukrainians. There are no reliable sources for Russian-civilian casualties available, but they are likely miniscule in comparison.
Comparison
All in all, both wars have killed thousands. The Russo-Ukrainian war killed hundreds of thousands, outnumbering the Israel-Palestine war by incredible levels. However, it is important to note that the civilian toll has been far less in the former war compared to the latter.
Summary
It is impossible to perfectly compare such nuanced and unique conflicts, their reasons, their figures, and everything else about such. I have done my best, but there are others who have done better, so I encourage you to look into these issues yourself if you find curiosity in the depths of bloodshed. Both wars share interesting similarities, but differ in how they are waged. They are two prime examples of warfare between a powerful and severely less powerful military force, and as such, we can learn a lot from them. As they always say, those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.
Opinion
The statement “dying is bad” is one of the most universally agreed upon statements in the modern era, but we are surrounded by death, engage with death, talk about death from a distance, and yet, many of us do not know the feeling of losing someone, let alone ourselves. Lest we forget the value of human life, I invite you to ruminate deeply upon a hypothetical situation, in which you find yourself witnessing the slow death of the one you hold most dear to you in this world. Would you break? Probably. Would your life become worse? Most certainly. Imagine that happening to every single person who has ever died, whether it be of their own accord or not, be they soldiers, civilians, volunteers, or just someone that another loves carefully. It is almost impossible for our mammalian brains to process all of these emotions at once, let alone those from hundreds of thousands of people.
My message to you: value life, for life is a beautiful, wonderful thing. Mourn those who died with honour, and celebrate those who still walk the Earth.
SOURCES:
IMAGES:
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/flat-israel-palestine-war-flag-illustration_77517480.htm
https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/russia-ukraine-war-unlv-experts-available-media-inquiries (shutterstock)
https://www.reuters.com/pictures/russia-marks-victory-day-with-military-parade-moscow-2025-05-09/
https://www.undp.org/eurasia/stories/breaking-barriers-building-hope-ukraine
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/10/middleeast/khan-younis-devastation (getty images)
REMAINDER:
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2024/11/26/how-many-ukrainian-soldiers-have-died
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/17/october-7-crimes-against-humanity-war-crimes-hamas-led-groups
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/hamas-hostages-israel-war-gaza/
https://webarchive.archive.unhcr.org/20230521204858/https://www.refworld.org/docid/469f38ec2.html
https://books.google.com/books/about/From_Catastrophe_to_Power.html?id=p7qlTfDzAkkC
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