The Short Answer
The West Bank and Gaza are the two Palestinian territories. Under the 1990s Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into areas run by the Palestinian Authority and areas under Israeli control pending a final agreement. Israel withdrew completely from Gaza in 2005; Hamas seized it by force in 2007, and since the October 2025 ceasefire Gaza has been divided between Israeli-held areas and areas still controlled by Hamas.
The West Bank
Jordan captured the West Bank (known in Israel by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria) in 1948 and annexed it, a move almost no country recognized. Israel took it in the defensive 1967 Six-Day War. Under the Oslo II Accord of 1995, it was divided into Area A (Palestinian Authority civil and security control), Area B (Palestinian civil control, joint security) and Area C (Israeli control), pending final-status talks that have never been completed.
Israel's position is that the West Bank is disputed — not "occupied" from a prior sovereign — and that its final status must be settled through negotiation.
Gaza
Egypt held Gaza from 1948 to 1967. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew every soldier and dismantled all 21 Israeli communities in Gaza, hoping it would become a model for peace. Instead, Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections and in 2007 violently expelled the Palestinian Authority. Thousands of rockets were fired at Israel in the years that followed, leading Israel and Egypt to impose security restrictions on the border.
After the war that began on October 7, 2023, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025. As of October 2026, Israeli forces hold a buffer area behind the so-called "Yellow Line," while Hamas still controls much of the rest. A U.S.-led Board of Peace and an International Stabilization Force authorized by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 are meant to oversee the transition, but Hamas has refused to disarm.
Key Facts
- Oslo II (1995) created Areas A, B and C
- Israel left Gaza completely in 2005
- Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007
- Ceasefire in effect since October 10, 2025
Sources & Further Reading
- Oslo II Accord — overview (Wikipedia)
- Israeli disengagement from Gaza (2005) — overview (Wikipedia)
- Gaza peace plan — overview (Wikipedia)
- UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (Wikipedia)
This answer reflects publicly available information as of October 2026.