In its first weeks, the Israel-Hamas war has already seen significant bloodshed on both sides, as well as a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The ripple effects have been felt globally, with foreign leaders flying to the region to try and prevent escalation, and spikes in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime reported in the US and Europe.

As the Guardian’s Head of International News, making sense of this rapidly developing conflict is a round-the-clock job for me and my colleagues on the international desks in London, New York and Sydney. Over recent years, we have continued to invest in correspondents able to tell this story from the ground and in experienced, expert journalists and commentators who can analyse and make sense of the situation.

We are committed to covering every aspect of this war, from the ordinary people caught up in it to the regional and global ramifications. We are committed, too, to combatting the vast amount of misinformation, rumour and hate swirling online.

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We have all been profoundly shaken by recent events in Israel and Gaza. This latest conflict marks the start of a chapter that is likely to affect millions of lives, both in the Middle East and further afield, for years to come. With reporters on the ground, and others producing live blogs, videos, podcasts and photo essays as the story unfolds, the Guardian is dedicated to bringing you independent, fact-checked journalism 24/7.

We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for the news right now. That’s why we choose to keep our journalism open for everyone to read. If this is you, please continue to read for free.

But if you can, can we count on your support at this perilous time? Here are three good reasons to make the choice to fund us today.

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