Nearly 200 Palestinians, including more than 50 children, were killed in Gaza over the last week as a result of Israeli airstrikes. At least 42 people died on Sunday alone as Israel continued to bombard the enclave for the eighth day in a row. Gazan militant group Hamas, on the other hand, has launched over 3000 missiles towards Israeli cities since the conflict between both sides began.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed that the casualties were unintentional and that it was forced to target military installations in Gaza due to Hamas’s continuing rocket attacks on Israel. “Hamas and Islamic Jihad have fired 3,100 rockets from Gaza in the past 7 days. That is the highest daily rate of rocket fire that Israel has faced in the history of the country. The threat is real. Millions of Israelis are living under fire. We will continue to defend ourselves,” IDF said on Twitter. On Sunday, Palestinian Foreign Minister (FM) Riyad al-Maliki called the Israeli attacks “war crimes” and urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. Maliki said that “Israel is the armed thief who has entered our house and is terrorizing our family, it destroys our homes, oppresses our people, generation after generation.”
However, Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu remained defiant and said that the IDF would continue strikes against Hamas. “They attacked us on our holiday. They attacked our capital. They launched missiles at our cities. They are paying, and will pay, a very heavy price for this. This is not yet over. We will do everything to restore security to our cities and our people,” he remarked The Israeli PM also added that his country had a “natural and self-evident right” to act in self-defence.
In the third emergency session on the conflict held by the UNSC, the United States (US) said that it was working “tirelessly” to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas. US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield called on Hamas to end its rocket attacks on Israel. Greenfield also expressed “alarm” over Israel’s use of excessive force and called on all parties to protect civilians, medical clinics, and UN facilities. During the session, Chinese FM Wang Yi criticised the US for blocking a joint statement from the Council on the ongoing violence. “China has been working with relevant countries on a security council press statement. Regrettably, due to the obstruction of one country, the Security Council hasn’t been able to speak as one voice,” Wang said.
Israel was also criticised for targeting a building in Gaza that housed journalists from various media organisations, including Al Jazeera and the Associated Press. UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said that the UN chief was “deeply dismayed” by Israel’s strike on the building. “The Secretary-General reminds all sides that any indiscriminate targeting of civilians and media structures violates international law and must be avoided at all costs,” Dujarric said.
In this respect, the US-based press freedom advocacy group Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a statement saying that Israel deliberately targeted the media building “in order to disrupt coverage of the human suffering in Gaza.” The statement also read: “Journalists have an obligation and duty to cover unfolding events in Gaza and it would be illegal for the IDF to use military means to prevent it.” However, the IDF defended its actions and claimed that the building was used by Hamas as an intelligence office. While the Israeli military provided advance warnings to residents in the buildings, who were able to evacuate before the structure was flattened, Palestinian media reported that a Palestinian journalist was wounded in the strikes.
As Israel and Hamas clashed in Gaza, massive protests by Palestinians continued in East Jerusalem over the potential eviction of Palestinian families living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Violent riots between Arab and Jewish mobs have erupted throughout Israel. Last week, several synagogues in Lod were targeted by an Arab mob, and in retaliation, extremist Jewish groups targeted Arab businesses in Israel. Arab and Jewish families were also attacked by lynch mobs roaming the streets.
On Saturday, US President Joe Biden, in a conversation with Netanyahu, expressed his “grave concern about the intercommunal violence across Israel.” Biden said that the US opposed “such hateful acts and encouraged continued steps to hold violent extremists accountable and to establish calm.” He further expressed his “support for steps to enable the Palestinian people to enjoy the dignity, security, freedom, and economic opportunity that they deserve and affirmed his support for a two-state solution.” The US President also reaffirmed “Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Hamas.” Biden also held phone talks with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas on the same day and said that the US supports the aspirations of the Palestinian people and highlighted the recent US decision to resume assistance to Palestine.
While both Israel and Hamas have shown no interest in ending the conflict, international efforts towards reaching a ceasefire are continuing. Egyptian officials met with Hamas leaders and Israeli authorities in an effort to halt fighting. The US also sent an envoy to speak with both Israelis and Palestinians. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland has been “leading” intensive talks with Israeli, Hamas, and Egyptian officials to broker a ceasefire between both sides.
Gaza Death Toll Nears 200 As Israel Continues Airstrikes
Gazan militant group Hamas, on the other hand, has launched over 3000 missiles towards Israeli cities since the conflict between both sides began.
May 17, 2021
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS