Israel-Hamas War News: Israel continued its air strikes on Gaza early Monday, while also targeting southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting with top generals and the war cabinet to assess the escalating conflict.
US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu both assured that the delivery of essential aid into Gaza will continue. However, the United Nations’ humanitarian office noted that the amount of aid that has entered Gaza thus far represents a mere 4% of the daily average before the conflict, falling far short of the region’s pressing needs.
Number of casualties rise
Around 4600 people have lost their lives during Israel’s two-week bombardment. It is important to note that Israel launched an offensive after the Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7.
Efforts to address the conflict have involved discussions between Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. They explored means to stop what Hamas referred to as “brutal crimes” by Israel in Gaza. For those unaware, Israel has amassed tanks and troops near the Gaza border for a potential ground invasion aimed at eliminating Hamas.
Will the Israel-Hamas war escalate?
There is no doubt about the fact that Israel and Palestine have the attention of international communities right now. The United States had earlier expressed concerns over the possibility of this war escalating into a broader Middle East conflict, post which they announced a new deployment of advanced air defenses. The Pentagon has also sent significant naval power to the Middle East to deter attacks by Iran-affiliated forces.
Chinese Middle East special envoy Zhai Jun warned that the risk of a large-scale ground conflict was increasing and also expressed concern over the spreading of conflict in the region. Meanwhile, Iran’s strategy reportedly involves proxy forces, such as Hezbollah, pursuing limited strikes on Israeli and U.S. targets while avoiding a major escalation that would draw in Tehran.
Israeli missiles strike Damascus, Aleppo international airports
Israeli missiles also struck Damascus and Aleppo international airports, rendering them out of service and resulting in casualties. Along Israel‘s northern border, Hezbollah clashed with Israeli forces in support of Hamas, marking the deadliest escalation of frontier violence since the Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006.
Israel has added 14 communities close to Lebanon and Syria to its evacuation contingency plan in the northern part of the country.
Palestine PM calls for a united front
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has simultaneously called on the international community to create a united front to halt Israel’s attacks on Gaza and facilitate the delivery of much-needed aid.
President Biden has meanwhile been engaging in calls with various world leaders to discuss aid delivery to Gaza and prevent the conflict from spreading. These efforts have included voicing support for Israel’s right to defend itself while also emphasizing adherence to international humanitarian law, especially the protection of civilians.
(With Agency Inputs)