HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — University of Southern Indiana Associate Professor Dr. Trent Engbers tells Eyewitness News this period in the Israeli and Palestinian conflict has been the “most violent conflict militarily to happen in recent memory,” despite hearing that the Israelis are no strangers to conflict.

Engbers just recently returned to the states after spending four months at the University of Haifa in Israel, and he says there are both Israeli plans bombarding the Gaza Strip and Hamas attacking the Israeli main land.

“The situation is quite chaotic there,” Engbers said. “I was talking to a colleague this morning that it’s described almost constant fighter planes flying overhead from all the major cities and outlying areas in Israel.”

Engbers calls this conflict especially remarkable and says the military presence is overwhelming.

“Everywhere you go, you find soldiers walking the streets with combat-ready weapons and combat-ready uniforms — training constantly,” Engbers said. “All the Jewish Israelis who are not exempt undergo significant military training as a requirement of citizenship.”

Engbers tells Eyewitness News the series of conflicts are somewhat about religion, but it is just as much about land and who rightfully owns and controls present-day Israel.

Looking ahead, Engbers tells us there will be many casualties and that this will not be a short-lived war.

“When I talked to Israelis, they are preparing for a sustained and violent conflict, and that is troubling in terms of the loss of life,” Engbers said.

Because of the conflict, Engbers says there will not be someone not untouched from the attacks.

“You know, for Arabs living within Israel, some of whom agree with Hamas, but many of which do not, their lives are about to change for the worse,” Engbers said.

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