Overnight, the Gaza war seems to threaten a bigger regional war drawing possibly the US directly into it following the high-profile assassinations by Israel of two top cogs in the Iran-backed Palestine operations in the region. The death of a top Hamas negotiator in Tehran last week through a point-precision assassination may speak of the superlative Israeli intelligence. But it frontally challenged the ruling Ayatollahs who were made to look silly before their own people while being vulnerable even in their own safe houses. A few days earlier, the Israel Defence Force had neutralised the military commander of Hamas in Gaza. In the more than seven month long war by Israel with the specific objective of eliminating Hamas, more than 30,000 people, mostly civilians, among them a huge number children and women, have been killed. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are rendered homeless every other day , moving from place to place on Israel’s orders to avoid a relentless shower of bombs and missiles. The UN has repeatedly called for a ceasefire even as the humanitarian crisis deteriorates by the day in Gaza. Yet, Israel shows no inclination to heed the global calls for ceasefire. On the contrary, after the two high-profile assassinations the world at large is now living in dread of a bigger conflagration following threats of a severe retaliation by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. It seems there is nothing to stop Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from persisting with his war against the perceived enemies of Israel.
Fears Of Wider Middle-East Conflict Deepen Amid Israel-Gaza War
Netanyahu’s need to prolong the armed hostilities to save himself from the ouster from power seems to have made him averse to accepting the US’s counsel. The only country deeply committed to guarantee Israel’s existence under all circumstances may have lost its leverage with Netanyahu largely owing to its own domestic disharmony, with the Democrats and the Republicans unable to evolve a common stance against a rampaging Netanyahu. Otherwise, having virtually neutralised the top brass of Hamas, and even Hezbollah, there should be no reason for Israel to try and pound Gaza into nothingness each passing hour. The mindless assault on Gaza must stop before it engulfs the entire Middle East.
Editorial: Gaza Ceasefire Is A Must And Only US President Biden Can Make It Happen
