I'll do my best... I'll try and make this a simple post, although the issue is infinitely complex :P

At its core, this conflict arose because Zionist settlers purchased land from Palestinian land owners. The problem was that the idea of land ownership was still, culturally, a foreign concept to the Palestinian people, and there were still people on the land that was purchased by the Jews. This led to forceful expulsion by the Jewish land owners and the Palestinians who lived on the land.

Once the state was created, various middle eastern powers decided to make a power grab. You now had this politically central land with minimal defense and ire of the Palestinian people - a really easy excuse to invade and take over. This led to many violent conflicts between the newly formed state of Israel and the surrounding Arab states. During these conflicts, Israel used its victories to push out and take more land in an attempt to put a buffer between the surrounding nations and its center.

Fast forward to the end of state to state conflict and the current Palestine vs Israel conflict. Hamas launches, sponsors and supports many attacks on Israel, but they are largely ineffective due to technology like the Iron Dome and very strict boarders. When these attacks become too severe (kidnappings, mass killings...), Israel launches a counter attack. Compared to similar missions and attacks launched by the US and its allies, Israel does a commendable job in its attempt to minimize civilian casualties. However, Hamas attackers often hide as civilians, or use civilian heavy locations to launch their attacks. This makes it very difficult to avoid civilian casualties.

Israel's leadership, on the other hand, continues to settle in lands that do not belong to them, while feigning ignorance. While no real official explanation is given, my assumption is that it is following the same philosophy of creating a land buffer between Israel's enemies and its center. These settlements further antagonize the Hamas leadership, which launch attacks against settlements or Israel proper.

The leadership on both sides is messed up beyond belief. Israel's leadership pushes a paranoid agenda, while Hamas points to dead civilians with one hand while shooting behind them with the other. All of this backed by racial and historical tensions. A personal gripe, but one I can't back up, is how Hamas is calling for aid, but spends almost every dollar on weapons.

Israel spends billions defending its people with things like the Iron Dome and border defense, which lead to little civilian deaths. However it also instigates the conflict by continuing to settle in Palestinian lands. Hamas is fighting for the land and freedoms of its people, but must do so hiding among civilians, leading to many innocent deaths.

No party in this conflict is innocent or just. You have a bunch of self serving leaders sacrificing the lives of innocents for personal gain. I defend Israel because its offensives are as well organised and precise as they can be, compared to any standard set by the western world. I dont even want to know how many innocent lives were taken in the Middle East by the West.

One last comment - Looking up any sort of data on civilian deaths is next to impossible. Hamas fighters are only fighters while they have guns in their hands, and innocents when they so choose to be. Differentiating between an enemy combatant and civilian is ludicrously difficult. The UN, Israel, and doctors without borders all have wildly different stats and suspect means of attaining/interpreting their data.

I hope I was able to get the jist of it across without offending anyone or making any mistakes.