Hostilities between Israel and Hamas have escalated extremely this week in what is being seen as the most intensive aerial exchanges since the 2014 war. The violence has triggered concern across the world that it could quickly spiral out of control at a time when countries are focused on fighting the covid-19 pandemic.
Violence has reportedly spread among Jews and Arabs within mixed enclaves in Israel, a new front in the long conflict.
At least 103 people have been killed in Gaza, including 27 children, over the past four days. 49 Palestinians were killed in the enclave since Monday and seven people have been killed in Israel: a soldier patrolling the Gaza border, five Israeli civilians, including two children, and an Indian worker.
Hamas, the Palestinian militants fired more rockets into Israel’s commercial and civilian areas on Thursday as Israel kept up a retaliatory bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip and pushed its tanks and troops on the border of the coastal territory.
The cross-border fighting showed no sign of abating and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the campaign “will take more time”. Israeli officials said Gaza’s ruling Hamas group must be dealt a strong deterring blow before any ceasefire.
Israel is a sovereign state and its people were well within their right to celebrate the day of victory on East Jerusalem by Israel from Jordan during the Arab-Israel war in 1967. The Palestinians and Arabs protesters should have avoided the use of their third holiest place of worship Al-Aqsa Mosque throwing the stones and other material on the planned march by celebrating Zionist youth groups.
Things worsened when Israeli troops stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque to punish the stone-pelters having taken shelter in the mosque that left hundreds of Palestinians injured. In response to this, Hamas which runs the Gaza strip and the major militant wings of the Palestine movement launched Rocket attacks targeting Israeli cities killing a dozen civilians including an Indian woman. Israeli forces responded with massive retaliatory strikes that now led to an escalating spiral of violence and bloodshed.
Worried over the region’s fresh hostilities that could potentially spiral out of control, the United States, Egypt, Qatar and many other countries have started their truce efforts but the progress in yet to be noticed on the ground.
The escalation may not recede soon till the diplomacy succeeds with the intervention of the US and other European countries. Going by the statement of Israeli Prime Minister, they would not relent their operations before demolishing the striking power of Hamas once for all. Moreover, unlike India, the opposition parties in Israel are united in the PM’s Natanayu’s resolve to teach a long-lasting lesson to their hostile enemies. Keeping in view the friendly ties with Israel, India being in a similar hostile situation, should play its role on its principle of a united fight against all sort of terrorism anywhere in the world.
