Palestinian Authority deems Israel's Gaza City takeover plan to be an 'unprecedented provocation'
In a troubling turn of events, the Israel-Palestinian conflict has escalated significantly, with Israel planning a major military operation to take full control of Gaza City by October 2025. This operation, which includes ground invasion and extended military occupation, aims to defeat Hamas, disarm the group, and establish an alternative civilian administration outside of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The operation is expected to forcibly displace up to one million people from Gaza City, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis, including famine-like conditions due to blockades. The United Nations (UN) has warned that this escalation risks igniting "another horrific chapter" of displacement, death, and destruction and emphasized the need for protecting civilians and releasing hostages.
The UN and other bodies stress that there is no military solution to the conflict and call for a two-State solution alongside urgent humanitarian relief access. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has condemned Israel’s occupation plan as leading to possible war crimes and crimes against humanity due to the forcible transfer of civilians, extensive destruction, and further civilian suffering. The ICJ urges an immediate ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages instead.
On the ground, Israeli Defense Forces have been conducting heavy air strikes and tank operations in Gaza City's eastern neighborhoods and southern Gaza, targeting Hamas positions in preparation for the planned takeover. Casualties continue, with recent reports indicating over 120 deaths in a recent 24-hour period amid ongoing hostilities.
The efforts for a new ceasefire have the backing of major Arab Gulf monarchies, concerned about further regional destabilization if Israel fully reoccupies Gaza. The Palestinian Authority has criticized the Israeli government's decision to expand its military operations in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, Israel's subsequent attack on Gaza has killed more than 60,000 people.
Meanwhile, Germany has announced it will curb arms exports to Israel due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel's plans to expand military control over the enclave. This is a historically fraught step for Berlin driven by a growing public outcry. Conservative chancellor Friedrich Merz argued that Israel's actions would not achieve its stated war goals of eliminating Hamas militants or bringing Israeli hostages home.
The UN Security Council has held an emergency meeting on Israel's plans, rescheduled to Sunday, while the Palestinian Authority has called on the international community, led by the UN Security Council, to urge Israel to cease its aggression and allow aid entry into Gaza. The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7th, 2023.
Elsewhere, Iran has executed a nuclear scientist named Rouzbeh Vadi for spying for Israel and passing on information on another nuclear scientist killed in Israel's air strikes on Iran in June. Iran has also arrested 20 people it alleges are operatives of Israel's Mossad spy agency in recent months.
As the situation continues to unfold, the international community remains divided, with some nations supporting Israel's actions and others calling for de-escalation and political resolution. The UN, ICJ, and various nations have emphasized the need for protecting civilians and finding a peaceful solution to this long-standing conflict.
References: 1. BBC News 2. Al Jazeera 3. Reuters 4. The New York Times 5. The Guardian
The ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict, typified by escalating war-and-conflicts, is deeply rooted in politics, with the imminent Israeli military operation aiming to take full control of Gaza City. This operation, expected to forcefully displace up to one million people, has raised grave concerns from the United Nations (UN), International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), and other bodies, who warn that it risks igniting more displacement, death, and destruction, and insist on an immediate ceasefire and protection of civilians. The UN and various nations are emphasizing the need for a political resolution, rather than military solutions, to this general-news crisis.
