In what has become an all too familiar situation in the Middle East, the Gaza crisis has flared up once again, this time with intense bombardment from Israel after a series of Hamas attacks. This has led to a heavy civilian death toll and colossal destruction – and now there is speculation that the situation may be spiraling further out of control.
The conflict centers around Hamas, a militant group that governs Gaza. They have fired multiple rockets into Israel in recent weeks, in retaliation for what they viewed as Israel’s excessive use of force during a dispute over Palestinian independence in Jerusalem. This has caused Israel to retaliate in kind, with massive airstrikes that have engulfed the city of Gaza, causing massive destruction in their wake.
The impact of the bombardment has been catastrophic, with international organisations such as the United Nations reporting that almost 100 civilians have been killed in the conflict since it began, and hundreds more injured. This has naturally sparked International outrage and concern, in particular from other Middle Eastern countries such as Iran, who have accused Israel of “immoral” behaviour.
Given the scale of the violence and destruction, it is clear that the current conflict is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. In the long run, a lasting resolution will most likely involve give and take on both sides, and possibly an international effort to broker a political settlement. Meanwhile with no sign of capitulation from either side, it is important that international organisations remain vigilant and take every effort to ameliorate the situation. After all, the world is a smaller place, and violence between Israel and Hamas can easily spill over into other countries in the region.
