NU.nl regularly gives you an overview of the situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Today: Hezbollah responded to the Gaza conflict for the first time since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Friday. And the United States is pushing for de-escalation, but Israel is not responding.
Developments in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are following each other in rapid succession. NU.nl therefore regularly lists recent events. Subscribe to the tag ‘Gaza conflict update’ to receive a notification when we post another overview.
It was the first time since October 7 that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah responded to the Gaza conflict. In Lebanon, where Hezbollah has a strong influence both militarily and politically, Nasrallah’s speech was widely announced. The speech was broadcast on large screens in the streets and Hezbollah presented it as a key moment when the organization would announce its next steps.
But in the end, no concrete announcements were made. Nasrallah said nothing about expanding attacks and limited himself to general warnings against Israel and the US. Israel and Hezbollah have already bombarded each other with rockets in recent weeks, but both sides do not appear to want to escalate.
Ontvang regelmatig een overzicht van de ontwikkelingen in Gaza en Israël
If either side were to do so, there is a good chance that major powers such as Iran (which supports Hezbollah) and the US (which supports Israel) would become involved in the conflict. Israel would then fight not only against Hamas in the Palestinian Territories, but also against Hezbollah on the northern border.
Nasrallah threatened this fear during his speech on Friday. Hezbollah’s leader warned the US that the outbreak of a regional conflict depends on whether America urges Israel to stop rocket attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Hezbollah was not yet aiming for direct escalation. But, Nasrallah said, the group is not afraid and is ready to fight. According to Nasrallah, whether Hezbollah is willing to intervene in the conflict depends on the decisions Israel makes regarding Gaza and Lebanon.
Why Israel is concerned about possible war with Hezbollah
Netanyahu refuses ceasefire until all hostages are free
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday urged the Israeli government to pause the bombing so humanitarian aid can work safely in the area.
But it soon became clear that Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of simply announcing a ceasefire. The Israeli Prime Minister said in a televised speech that he would only be open to this if Hamas released all (more than two hundred) hostages.
Netanyahu also does not want to allow fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip for the time being. Aid organizations and ambulances are faced with a shortage of fuel, which sometimes makes it difficult for them to reach injured people. Fuel is also needed for generators that hospitals use to provide medical assistance.
Israel fears that fuel will end up in the hands of Hamas and therefore refuses to allow it into the Gaza Strip. Food and medicine are now arriving slowly through the border with Egypt.
Hamas accuses Israel of attacking ambulances
The battle between Hamas and Israel remains bloody. Hamas claims that more than nine thousand people have now been killed on the Palestinian side. These numbers are difficult to verify.
Hamas officials claimed on Friday that 13 people were killed and more than 20 injured in an Israeli attack on a convoy of ambulances in the Gaza Strip. Those numbers cannot be confirmed either.
Israel has since confirmed this attack, but claims the ambulances were used by Hamas fighters. The Israeli military says a number of Hamas officials were killed in the attack. Hamas claims the ambulances were used to transport injured Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) warns of violence in the West Bank. The UN is afraid that the violence in the Gaza Strip will distract from what is happening in the other Palestinian Territories. Since the Netanyahu government took office at the beginning of this year, violence by Israelis against Palestinians in these areas has increased, the UN saw. last summer.
Het conflict uitgelegd
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