Hamas-Israel standoff continues as conflict enters its tenth day
Attacks on the Gaza Strip are intensifying as the conflict enters its tenth day. The Israeli army has reported hitting some 40 Hamas underground targets last night in an offensive in which 120 bombs were dropped in just 25 minutes. Meanwhile, the international community remains unable to reach a solution in the face of the US veto of a joint resolution in the UN Security Council.
France has proposed a ceasefire during a new closed-door meeting of the Security Council and has expressed its support for Egyptian mediation in the conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron did not miss the opportunity these days to talk to his Egyptian counterpart about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, who was in Paris for two days to attend the Africa summit.
The French president has also sought Jordan's support to push forward the ceasefire proposal. The Elysée noted that 'the three countries agreed on three simple elements: the shooting must stop, the time has come for a ceasefire and the UN Security Council must address the issue'. But the Council seems unable to adopt a joint statement, as a result of the continued veto by the US, which has already blocked statements proposed by China, Norway and Tunisia on three occasions.
On the ground, the situation is increasingly untenable, especially for civilians in the Gaza Strip. The latest exchange of attacks has resulted in the deaths of two Thai workers on a kibbutz near the separation fence and four Palestinians, including a journalist. This brings the death toll on the Israeli side to 12, while in the Gaza Strip 219 Gazans have lost their lives. According to Reuters news agency, several Israeli leaders said they would press ahead with the offensive against Hamas and Islamic Jihad. An Israeli military spokesman also acknowledged that, with an estimated 12,000 rockets and mortars in Gaza, "they still have enough rockets to fire".
Nearly 450 buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or severely damaged, including six hospitals and nine primary health care centres, since the conflict began, according to the UN humanitarian agency. In addition, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has reported that its schools have once again become shelters for the 47,000 displaced people who had to flee their homes in the face of Israeli bombardment.
With almost no infrastructure, the Gaza Strip is completely dependent on humanitarian aid. Israel announced yesterday the opening of a humanitarian corridor to Gaza. The news was openly applauded by the United Nations. "We welcome the opening by the Israeli authorities of the Kerem Shalom crossing for much needed humanitarian aid after nine days of crisis," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
But this small glimmer of light in the conflict was extinguished sooner rather than later when mortar shells were fired at the crossing and an Israeli soldier was wounded. "After mortar shells were fired towards the Kerem Shalom crossing, it was decided to stop the entry of the remaining trucks," reported the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
At the same time, a general strike took place yesterday in the occupied Palestinian territories in condemnation of Israel's bombardment of Gaza. The strike was called in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Arab towns in Israel. Both Hamas and Fatah called on all their supporters to follow the strike in a movement they dubbed the "day of rage", which ended with clashes with security forces in several cities such as Hebron, Bethlehem and Beit.