It has entered its 17th day, but the war between Israel and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip has not only not cooled down but is threatening to spread to the entire region.
According to Gaza health officials, on 23 October, Israeli aircraft carried out airstrikes on Gaza, including residential buildings in Khan Yunis city and the Nussirat refugee camp, south of the evacuation route.
To date, more than 4,600 people have been killed and more than 14,200 injured in Gaza. On the Israeli side, more than 1,400 people were killed and at least 222 people were taken hostage.
An Israeli military spokesman said the increased airstrike campaign was a step to reduce the risk of upcoming ground attacks. According to AP, Israeli tanks and soldiers have gathered near the border with Gaza.
Israel launched several local raids in Gaza on 23 October to search for hostages and clashed with Hamas forces. Hamas announced that it had destroyed 1 enemy tank and 2 armored bulldozers while the Israeli military admitted that 1 soldier was killed and 3 others were wounded by anti-tank missiles.
speaking on the channel nbc On October 22, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Israel could no longer let Hamas take control of Gaza and put the country at risk, but “they have no intention of managing Gaza themselves”.
Israel captured Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. These are the three areas that Palestinians consider to be their future state. Israel withdrew its forces from Gaza in 2005, but joined Egypt in imposing a blockade after Hamas took control of the strip of land two years later.
Palestinians shelter in the UN refugee camp in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, on 23 October. Photo: Reuters
As per the same day, 22 October reutersHamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian spoke by phone and discussed ways to end Israel’s offensive on Gaza.
Not limited to just the vicinity of Gaza, on the morning of 22 October and 23 October Israeli aircraft attacked several targets in Syria and southern Lebanon. Visiting Israeli troops deployed near the border with Lebanon on 22 October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that if the Lebanese Hezbollah group participates in the war, Israel would respond more fiercely than in the war between the two sides in 2006. Will give.
Israeli military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said they had “destroyed 20 gun pockets in Lebanon since the conflict began” but did not provide further details. Additionally, Israel evacuated 14 more communities near the borders of Lebanon and Syria.
Tensions are also high in the West Bank, with more than 90 Palestinians killed – mainly in protests and shootouts with Israeli troops.
Fearing an escalating conflict, the US Defense Department announced the sending of new air defense systems to the Middle East, in addition to the powerful naval forces previously sent – including two aircraft carrier battle groups and about 2,000 marines.
The more intense fighting scenario makes the issue of emergency humanitarian assistance for Gaza civilians even more uncertain. According to the AP, a second aid convoy of 15 trucks passed through the Rafah border gate linking Egypt to Gaza on the night of October 22, following a convoy of 20 trucks the day before.
However, the UN stated that the above goods met only 4% of the average daily aid to Gaza before the war began and “was nothing compared to the needs of 2.3 million people.” Gaza after 13 days of complete blockade.
Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers met in Luxembourg on 23 October to discuss how to bring more much-needed aid to Gaza, particularly fuel to operate power plants and desalination plants. Salt provides water. Israel does not allow any fuel into Gaza and the place has been completely without electricity for more than a week.
Shortages and Israeli airstrikes have forced the closure of seven hospitals in northern Gaza, according to the World Health Organization; Hospitals that are still open will have to conserve fuel to run generators to treat critically ill patients and premature babies.
Vietnam is planning to protect civilians
On October 23, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Steering Committee for Civilian Protection, chaired a meeting on the protection of Vietnamese citizens in the face of rising tensions in China.
Deputy Minister Ha Kim Ngoc confirmed that ensuring the safety of lives and property of Vietnamese citizens is the government’s top priority. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs directed the State of Palestine as well as Vietnamese representative agencies in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt to closely monitor the conflict situation, urgently review information on Vietnamese citizens, and coordinate with local authorities and relevant domestic agencies for implementation. Continues to direct coordination closely. Civil defense plans and support measures as required.
D. Ngoc
