Israel’s latest moves
The conflict in the Gaza strip between Hamas and Israel continues and there is no end in sight at this place. Israel will have no choice to move in more ground troops and in effect occupy the entire area. International pressure is increasing on prime minister Netanyahu to find a solution to the conflict. UN official says Israel expanding Gaza operations would risk catastrophic consequences. Such a move could potentially endanger the lives of more Palestinians, as well as Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
From Israel’s perspective, the goal is the same, total destruction of the terrorist organization Hamas. It has been suggested the Israeli plan could be a negotiating tactic to pressure Hamas after a recent breakdown of ceasefire talks, or an attempt to shore up support from Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. Asked whether he would support an Israeli plan to reoccupy all of Gaza, US President Donald Trump responded: “That’s pretty much going to be up to Israel.” This is a good approach as it a Middle Eastern problem and the U.S. does not want to get too deeply involved in the conflict. They will continue to support Israel with military equipment and funds though. Israel needs to be powerful to counter Arab terrorism and Iranian war plans and the U.S. will make sure this will continue to be the case.
At this same time, Israel has been facing mounting international pressure over the war in Gaza, where experts say famine is unfolding. There are around two million people in Gaza and the situation is turning out to be a humanitarian crisis and Israel is certainly not helping. They are focus on their ultimate goal and geopolitical safety and this seems to be a wise strategy even if it will mean continued high number of Palestinian casualties.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to talk about a future Palestinian state even though some countries in Europe like Great Britain and France as well as Canada have voiced their support to recognize the Palestinian state. This seems slightly mistimed given their will to hold onto the idea that Israel must be destroy and eliminated and that they still support terrorism. Israel’s military said it already had operational control of 75% of Gaza, but the new plan would reportedly propose occupying the entire region. The proposals have proved divisive in Israel, with reports the army chief and other military leaders oppose the strategy.
The families of hostages have expressed their fear that such a decision could endanger their loved ones. Israel says 49 hostages are still being held in Gaza, of whom 27 are believed to be dead. During the conflict, Israel has not prioritized getting the hostages released, but rather kept putting pressure on Hamas and continued military operations without negotiations for hostage releases. There are calls for a stop to the conflict, but as long as Hamas is in power in Gaza and there are still hostages, this is an unlikely development. The UN Security Council the call for a ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Citing the squalid and inhumane conditions faced by Palestinians, the U.N. has urged Israel to immediately allow the unimpeded passage of sufficient aid. The U.N. condemn the ongoing violence at food distribution sites, saying more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the end of May while trying to access food and supplies. Last week, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said 154 people including 89 children had died from a lack of food since October 2023. U.N. agencies have warned there is man-made, mass starvation in Gaza, and reported at least 63 malnutrition-related deaths this month.
As known, Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 Jews were killed and 251 others taken to Gaza as hostages. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s military campaign, according to the territory’s health ministry. At this point, the conflict must continue until the Gaza still is clean of Hamas and will try to find a peaceful solution. There are talks about future free elections for the Palestinian as long as all involved parties are democratic and recognize Israel’s right to exist. This seems reasonable and the bottom line is that the support for Israel should continue until the Palestinians are willing to live peacefully and in peace.