Over 100 Israeli civilians lost their lives last Saturday in the wake of rocket attacks by Hamas and subsequent on-ground incursions. Concurrently, the Palestinian Ministry of Health is also reporting almost 200 Palestinian fatalities as a result of retaliatory airstrikes by Israel in Gaza. Both claims have come via official channels: Israeli and Palestinian.
The violent skirmishes between Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist organization, are ongoing, particularly in Southern Israel. Several nations, including the US and the UK, identify Hamas as a terrorist group.
According to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, if the actions of Hamas are not considered as a direct declaration of war, they are close. On X (formerly Twitter), Netanyahu stated. “Citizens of Israel, we are at war.” This announcement came in response to more than 2000 rockets that the Foreign Ministry of Israel reported as being fired from Gaza, leading the IDF’s ‘operation Swords of Iron,’ aimed primarily at the defence of Israeli civilians.
On the opposing side, the State of Palestine has been voicing concerns for its “legitimate right to self-determination” and the “full implementation of international legitimacy resolutions.” Their official statement points to ‘injustice and oppression’ as the catalyst for the current volatile situation.
Variety of countries including the Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US have called for an end to violence and emphasized the protection of civilians. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken underlined, “There is never any justification for terrorism.”
The onslaught of violence has led the Foreign Ministry of Brazil, currently presiding over the United Nations Security Council, to push for an emergency meeting of the council. Further pleas have been made for Hamas to adhere to international customary law obligations, humanitarian law, and laws of armed conflict.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the International Committee of the Red Cross have called for the immediate protection of civilians.
However, the last week saw the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s unit, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), announce the reopening of the Erez Crossing for workers to leave the Gaza Strip area.
In an interview given to JURIST before the recent escalation, UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese shed light on potential human rights abuses and international crimes in her recent report. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to impact the lives and geopolitical landscape of the Middle East significantly.
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