- The United Nations has voiced fears of a “full-scale war” between Israel and Gaza as violent conflict escalates to its most deadly point in years
- Over 70 people have been killed in the conflict as Gaza launches thousands of rockets into Israel and Israel responds with hundreds of airstrikes
- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland urging Israel and Gaza to “stop the fire immediately” in a post on Twitter
- He said leaders on both sides need to deescalate the conflict before it escalates to a full-scale war
- This week’s violence follows weeks of boiling tension between Israel and Gaza and days of clashes between Israeli and Palestinian police in Eastern Jerusalem
- Gaza launched rockets into Israel demanding Israel remove police from a holy site and from the nearby district of Sheikh Jarrah, where Palestinians were being threatened with eviction from Jewish settlers
- U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel has “a right to defend itself” against the rocket attacks, though he urged the Middle Eastern leaders to seek peace
- President Biden said he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is confident the conflict will end “sooner than later”
- The U.S. President made no comment on Israel’s airstrikes against Gaza
The United Nations has voiced fears of a “full-scale war” between Israel and Gaza as violent conflict escalates to its most deadly point in years.
As rockets and airstrikes fly between the territories, over 70 people have already been killed in the conflict this week — at least 65 Palestinians and six people in Israel.
This death toll includes 16 Palestinian children who were caught up in the conflict.
The fighting has been condemned by the United Nations, with UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland urging Israel and Gaza to “stop the fire immediately” in a post on Twitter.
“We’re escalating towards a full scale war,” he said.
“Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of deescalation.”
Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of deescalation. The cost of war in Gaza is devastating & is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now
— Tor Wennesland (@TWennesland) May 11, 2021
Since Sunday, Palestinian militants have launched over 1000 rockets into Israel. The majority of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome Aerial Defense System, but several have made it through.
WATCH as the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System intercepts rockets over southern Israel: pic.twitter.com/xUz3bMuTzz
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 12, 2021
Israel has responded with hundreds of airstrikes over Gaza, destroying three high-rise buildings and killing senior Hamas officials.
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic militant organisation regarded as a terrorist group by Israel and the United States.
The conflict marks the most intense exchange of fire between the nations since the 2014 war in Gaza.
Rising tensions
This week’s violence follows weeks of boiling tension between Israel and Gaza and days of clashes between Israeli and Palestinian police at a holy hilltop compound revered by both Jews and Arabs.
The site in East Jerusalem is known as the Haram al-Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary, to Muslims and as the Temple Mount to Jews. Since the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in April, a series of police confrontations in East Jerusalem have fuelled bad blood between Israel and Palestine.
Hamas demanded Israel remove police from the holy site and from the nearby district of Sheikh Jarrah, where Palestinians were being threatened with eviction from Jewish settlers.
The disputes boiled into police clashes and protests until Hamas launched the first rockets into Israel earlier this week, causing a military response from Israel and inciting the violence that ensued.
Biden: conflict to end “sooner than later”
On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and later said he was confident the hostilities would not go on for much longer.
“My expectation and hope is this will be closing down sooner than later,” Biden said.
“Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory.”
In a statement on Wednesday, White House officials said President Biden “condemned the attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups” against Israel in his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
“He conveyed his unwavering support for Israel’s security and for Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself and its people, while protecting civilians,” the White House said.
He urged the Middle Eastern nations to find a “pathway towards restoring a sustainable calm” and said Jerusalem must be a “place of peace”.
President Biden made no comment on the Israeli airstrikes against Palestine.