Lookback 2023: From Israel Gaza Conflict To Chandrayaan 3, Major Global Events Happened This Year

Global Events 2023: 2023 will be written in history as a year marked by both tragedy and triumph, a testament to the perseverance of hope and human resiliency. As the nation slowly emerged from the pandemic's shadow, natural disasters, and political unrest continued to tremble throughout the world. This year's events, which included the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the historic change in the world’s population with India overtaking China, served as a constant reminder of the dementia and untapped potential of growth.

Israel Hamas War

Israel has been at war with the Gaza Strip since it withdrew from the territory it had occupied since 1967 in 2005. Since October 7, 2023, Israel and Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas have been engaged in armed conflict, with most of the war occurring in and around the Gaza Strip. Clashes have also occurred in the West Bank and along the Israel-Lebanon border. That day saw the beginning of the biggest military build-up in the area since the Yom Kippur War in 1973 when militant groups launched an unexpected attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. Following the evacuation of Hamas militants, the Israeli military launched a massive aerial bombardment campaign on Gazan targets in retaliation. This was followed by a massive ground invasion of Gaza. 

India Held The G20 Summit

Convened under the esteemed leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 18th G20 Summit took place in New Delhi from September 9th to 10th, 2023. Marking a momentous occasion as the first G20 meeting hosted by India, it was held at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre within the esteemed Pragati Maidan complex. Recognizing the critical challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, G20 India has meticulously established six key priorities for guiding the global dialogue throughout 2023. 

These priorities encompass transformative initiatives across a spectrum of crucial domains, including:

Green development, climate finance, and the LiFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) initiative.

Accelerated, inclusive, and resilient growth, aiming to revitalize global economic prosperity and bridge existing inequalities.

Accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Technological transformation and the development of robust digital public infrastructure.

Reinventing multilateral institutions for the 21st century to foster global cooperation.

Women-led development, recognizing the pivotal role women play and empowering their full participation in all spheres.

Chandrayaan-3

On July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. India is now the fourth nation to land on the moon successfully and the first to do so close to the lunar south pole. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on August 5 and the lander touched down on August 23 at 18:03 IST. ISRO’s objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission are:

Creating and deploying a lander to touch down on the moon gently and safely.

Observing the Moon and showcasing the rover's driving abilities.

Utilising the materials found on the lunar surface to conduct and observe experiments to gain a better understanding of the lunar composition. 

Syria Earthquake 2023

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northern and western Syria as well as southern and central Turkey on February 6, 2023. 37 km to the west-northwest of Gaziantep was the epicenter. The same day, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7. The location of the second earthquake was 95 km (59 mi) to the northeast of the first. Tens of thousands were killed and there was extensive damage. An area roughly the size of Germany, 350,000 km2 (140,000 sq mi), was severely damaged. Roughly 14 million individuals, or 16 percent of Turkey’s total population, were impacted. In Syria, over 14,500 people were injured and at least 8,476 people died. UN development specialists calculated that roughly 1.5 million people were left without a place to live. 

India Beats China in Terms of Population

With one-sixth of the world’s population, India has become the most populous country in the world. With a population of 1,425,775,850 at the end of April 2023, India surpassed China to become the country with the largest population in the world, according to UN estimates. According to recent surveys, the fertility rate in most Indian states has dropped significantly below the replacement level of 2.1, and the nation is rapidly approaching the replacement level. In 2017, India’s overall fertility rate was 2.2. The population of India is predicted by the UN to increase for the next thirty years, after which it will start to decline.