Netanyahu abandons planned trip to Azerbaijan due to escalating tensions in Gaza and Syria
In the aftermath of turmoil in Gaza and Syria, and a jam-pack schedule of politics and security crises, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has decided to push back his Azerbaijan trip to a later date, according to a statement from his office.
Over the weekend, Israeli media leaked information suggesting that the government might escalate combat operations in Gaza. More than two-thirds of Gaza is already inaccessible to its 2.1 million residents due to Israel's expansion of the buffer zone and forced evacuation orders.
In light of these events, the Family Forum of Hostages, representing most of the 59 Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza by the extremist group Hamas, issued a statement today, stating that any intensified conflict would immediately endanger the hostages, both living and dead. Interestingly, polls reveal that the majority of the Israeli public advocates for Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza in exchange for the release of these hostages.
Gaza has been under Israeli attack since a Palestinian extremist group launched an attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, causing about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, 59 of whom are still being held captive. Israel's retaliation has resulted in over 52,400 deaths and significant damage to the territory's infrastructure.
Meanwhile, in southern Syria, the Israeli army indicated that its troops are ready to prevent infiltration by hostile forces into the area surrounding the Druze villages. The army reported bombing military targets last night. The violence erupted on Monday following the release of a recording falsely attributed to a Druze leader, containing insults towards the Prophet Muhammad. The conflict has since spread to other areas with a significant Druze population, with at least 101 deaths reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as official death toll figures are yet to be released.
Since the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks against Syrian military installations, as well as deploying troops to a demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights. The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called on Israel to immediately cease violations of Syria's sovereignty following new bombings.
It's worth mentioning that, out of the hostages captured in Gaza, 59 hostages remain in captivity, with Hamas also holding the remains of at least 35 others, including a soldier killed in 2014. Israel's government is reportedly planning to expand its military operations in Gaza, with a cabinet vote scheduled for May 5. This expansion includes mobilizing additional reservists and intensifying attacks, especially in buffer zones established since March. Despite this, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) prioritizes securing the hostages' release as its "most important goal."
[1] Leveraging Hostages as Bargaining Chips: The Ongoing Saga of the 59 Israeli Hostages Captured in Gaza - Forbes Magazine[2] Israel's Military Plans to Escalate Operations in Gaza - The Jerusalem Post[3] Tensions Flare Between Netanyahu and IDF Over Goals of Gaza Campaign - Haaretz
- The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) prioritizes securing the release of the 59 Israeli hostages still captive in Gaza as its "most important goal."
- The government of Israel is reportedly planning to expand its military operations in Gaza, with a cabinet vote scheduled for May 5.
- In light of intensified conflict, the Family Forum of Hostages advocates for Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza in exchange for the release of the 59 Israeli hostages still being held captive by Hamas.
- The EFE News Agency published a report stating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to postpone his Azerbaijan trip due to the ongoing war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news situations in Gaza and Syria.
