Israel-Hamas hostilities might be heading for wider regional conflict

New Delhi: In further escalation of Israel-Palestine conflict,  the Israeli defense forces  called for evacuation of 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza within the next 24 hours, and Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian visited neighbouring Lebanon to meet with the leader of Hezbollah, after which he issues a ” collective response” warning to Israel.

The Israeli directive for Ghaza evacuation certainly indicates that the country was going for a ground offensive soon. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Gaza City is “an area where military operations take place”. UN officials in Gaza were late Thursday were informed by IDF that the organization should take out staff from the area within the one-day time period.

The UN has described the order as ”impossible” to carryout by the people living there.

“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” it said in a statement.  It strongly appealed for any such order, if confirmed, ”to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”

A ground invasion would further escalate the hostilities between Hamas and Israel, and poses danger of turning into a wider regional conflict.

Hamas took all by surprise by launching a large-scale assault on southern Israel on October 7, killing g about 1,300 Israelis and abducting 97 others. Israel retaliated with massive airstrikes on Gaza, which left over 1500 dead and more than  6,000

injured, as per the official Palestinian  figures, quoted by the media.

The situation has been further complicated with Hamas on Friday urging residents not to leave their homes and ignore the directive.

“The occupation is attempting to spread and circulate false propaganda through various means, aiming to create confusion among citizens and undermine the stability of our internal front,” a CNN report said,

Meanwhile,  Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian is reported to have has visited neighbouring Lebanon and met with the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah’

He warned that the “ongoing war crimes” against Palestinians in Gaza would “undoubtedly trigger a collective response from the resistance axis.”

Observers do not rule out the likelihood of a new front opening open up in the war if Hezbollah decides to get involved and attack Israel in support of its Palestinian allies.

Hezbollah’s deputy leader said they were “fully prepared” to join Hamas in the war against Israel – telling a rally in the suburbs of Beirut they will intervene “when the time comes”, media reported.

The Hamas’s surprise assault of Saturday, the biggest one  against Israel in decades, is being seen as an attempt by the organisation to send a message to Israel, US and Arab countries that the Palestinian issue cannot be sidelined by rapprochement of Arab countries with Israel, a process actively backed by the US. Moreover, Hamas was also under pressure to react to the policies and actions of the far-right government in Israel which led to increase in settler violence in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. It is to be noted that Hamas has recently also improved its ties with Iran, which has increased its support base.

–INDIA NEWS STREAM