Palestinians celebrate with their national flag while standing near a destroyed Israeli tank in the southern Gaza Strip. On Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud) is displayed with the image. Complicated battles and natural disasters ravaged the Middle Eastern region throughout the year, impacting areas facing economic strain and extreme weather as a result of climate change. In 2023, millions of citizens faced hardships, as seen through a multitude of heads of nations gathering together at the United Nations climate talks, COP28, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Dubai’s luxury lifestyle directly clashed with the on-going war in the Gaza Strip, with the conflict between Israel and Hamas leading to more unrest. The year saw a series of conflicts and political uncertainty throughout the Middle East. Further on, an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas militants shocked the region and had a wide-ranging impact. When the middle east faced severe earthquakes in the early part of 2023, approximately 50,000 people were declared dead. An earthquake in Morocco left over 2,900 people dead and a massive storm in Libya led to thousands of deaths. It became clear that the violent events of the year took a huge economic and social toll on the area. In Afghanistan, the political situation led to many returnees and economic hardship in a region already suffering from drought. Not only was Afghanistan facing an economic crisis, but political unrest was also present in Pakistan, where the former Prime Minister was handed a jail sentence.
Unforgettable images capturing turmoil in the Middle East
