As the war in Gaza nears its 10th month, the situation on the ground remains dire, with fighting raging in the southern city of Rafah. Witnesses reported clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants on Wednesday, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, however, appeared to ease in recent days, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting that the “intense phase” of the war was nearing its end. This came as Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, visited Washington for crisis talks with his U.S. counterpart, Lloyd Austin.
Austin warned Israel of the risk of a major conflict against Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, stating that “another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East.” The U.S. defense secretary urged diplomacy as the best way to prevent further escalation.
Top Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have indicated a willingness to explore diplomatic solutions to the border tensions. However, Gallant said Israel should be ready for “every possible scenario.”The situation on the ground in Rafah remains dire, with witnesses reporting clashes throughout the night. The Israeli military said its air force had struck a rocket launch site in the area. The civil defense agency in Hamas-run Gaza and hospital medics reported that at least four people, including three children, were killed in a strike early on Wednesday targeting a house in Beit Lahia, in the north.
The ongoing conflict has had a devastating impact on the civilian population in Gaza. UN agencies have reported that 10 Gazan children a day are losing one or both legs, and half a million Palestinians in the besieged territory suffer from “catastrophic” hunger.
The war has also taken a toll on aid workers, with the Israeli military previously accusing about a dozen workers of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, of links to “terrorist” activity and involvement in Hamas’s October 7 attack. These claims have led several major donors to suspend funding for UNRWA, though most have since resumed their contributions.
An independent review, however, found that Israel had failed to provide evidence to support its accusations against UNRWA employees. The report underscored the agency’s indispensable role in delivering life-saving humanitarian aid and essential social services to the Palestinian refugees in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank.As the conflict continues to rage, the international community has called for restraint and a diplomatic solution to prevent the situation from spiraling into a wider regional war with devastating consequences.
