As the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas entered its 15th day on the 21st (local time), the situation in the Middle East is in turmoil as Israel’s ground war in the Gaza Strip remains a ‘detonator’ and concerns about an escalation of the war are growing. are being engulfed in
War clouds are rising as the anxiety that this could escalate into a new Middle East war, referred to as the fifth Middle East war, is not going anywhere.
This war, which began with Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on the 7th, is reaching its peak as Israel pledges to annihilate Hamas and continues large-scale airstrikes against the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in Palestine, rushing to prepare for a ground war.
In particular, as concerns grow that the war may be prolonged and the front line expanded due to the intervention of Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed political faction supported by Iran, during Israel’s large-scale ground operations, the West, including the United States, and the Islamic world are trying to prevent such a situation. Society is also accelerating.
At the same time, global efforts are continuing to prevent the humanitarian crisis for Gaza residents from spiraling into disaster amid Israel’s total blockade.
Israel is continuing retaliatory airstrikes by concentrating tens of thousands of troops at the Gaza border after Hamas infiltrated Israeli territory with rocket attacks, killing civilians and taking them hostage.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on the 19th that the Israeli military would soon see the Gaza Strip “from the inside,” implying that the start of a ground war was imminent.
On the 21st, the Israeli military said, “We will strengthen airstrikes starting today to minimize the risk to our troops in the next phase of the war,” and repeatedly urged Gaza residents to evacuate to the south for their safety.
There are concerns that civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip will increase if intensified air strikes and ground warfare begin.
Since the outbreak of war, the death toll on both sides has continued to increase, with the majority reportedly being civilian victims.
According to the Gaza Strip’s Ministry of Health, as of the morning of the 21st, the number of dead was 4,385 and the number of injured was 13,561. In Israel, more than 1,400 people are believed to have died and 210 were taken hostage by Hamas.
On the 20th, Hamas released the first two American hostages held in the Gaza Strip, an American mother and daughter, but it is reported that many of the hostages are injured, suffering from various diseases, or the elderly, raising concerns about their health and safety.
As casualties increase due to clashes between the two sides, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on the 21st that he is discussing with Israel the issue of delaying the start of Israel’s ground war in the Gaza Strip.
The United States has supported Israel’s counterattack against Hamas, but has indirectly sent a message emphasizing the need to comply with international law in times of war and refraining from excessive retaliation that could result in numerous civilian casualties.
Leaders and foreign ministers of major Middle Eastern and European countries gathered in Cairo, Egypt on this day to hold a ‘Summit for Peace’ and discuss a peaceful solution to this war.
In particular, the United States is said to be urging Israel not to carry out large-scale airstrikes against Hezbollah, while also trying to discourage Hezbollah through Middle Eastern countries.
However, since Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, sporadic fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified in the Lebanese border area, and tensions in the West Bank of Palestine are also increasing, so concerns about the possibility of an escalation of war continue.
In particular, Iran is warning that a ‘new front’ may be formed in Israel, raising the possibility that this could escalate into a conflict between Iran and the United States, Israel’s ally.
Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group allied with카지노사이트 Hamas, also warned that it could expand its front to the West Bank. The Israeli military has also recently been carrying out airstrikes in the West Bank one after another for reasons such as “elimination of terrorist elements.”
The United States began deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ( THAAD ) missile defense system in the Middle East in preparation for war intervention by Iran and Hezbollah and began preparing to increase troops.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that he has begun deploying THAAD batteries and additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the Middle East to protect local U.S. troops.
The situation in the Middle East has become more chaotic as this war has increased antipathy toward Israel as well as the United States.
While Israel and Hamas are fighting over responsibility for the recent explosion at a hospital in the Gaza Strip, anti-Israel and anti-Western protests were held in surrounding Middle Eastern countries, expressing anger.
The United States said the disaster had nothing to do with Israel, but tensions continue.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Rafah border checkpoint, the only point not controlled by Israel among the passageways into the Gaza Strip, was temporarily opened on the 21st, allowing relief goods to be brought into the Gaza Strip for the first time in two weeks since the outbreak of war.
However, the relief supplies brought in that day were 20 truckloads worth of water, food, and medicine, excluding fuel, which is far from enough to meet the needs of Gaza residents, and calls for additional relief supplies to be brought in and the opening of checkpoints are growing louder.
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