Recently, news of Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip has attracted global attention. The decision broke a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza that had been several days and brought the once calm area back under fire. This incident not only caused geopolitical reverberations, but also led to tensions between the United States and Israel, with the United States becoming more and more assertive towards Israel.
The causes of the conflict in Gaza have a complex background. According to the Israeli side, Hamas violated the ceasefire agreement and carried out provocations against the IDF. This made the Israeli side feel compelled to respond by ending the previous ceasefire. However, this claim is not supported by evidence and has also raised questions from the international community. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have urged Israel to exercise restraint in an attempt to push for another extension of the ceasefire. However, Israel seems to have chosen the path of continuing its military operations.
Against this background, the attitude of the United States has become more resolute than ever. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel for the third time in the Gaza conflict and engaged in a fierce "verbal confrontation" with Israel**. He made it clear that Israel could not operate in the south as it did in the north, because there were two million Palestinians there. He criticized Israeli attacks on United Nations facilities and called for ensuring that there were sufficient security zones for civilian use. This rare U.S.-Israeli confrontation shows that the United States is seriously concerned about Israel's actions.
Deepening the diplomatic impasse was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's sharp response to Blinken's criticism, stressing that the Palestinian Authority, which supports and finances terrorist groups, could not rule Gaza after the destruction of Hamas. The verbal battle became a rare and unpleasant diplomatic exchange in U.S.-Israeli relations, and was even called "America's strongest rhetoric to date" by the BBC.
This diplomatic storm has cast a shadow over the peace process in Gaza. The United States has been the main force pushing Israel to accept peace, but the growing disparity between the United States and Israel today makes the prospect of a peaceful settlement daunting. However, there is also an argument that the United States' dissatisfaction with Israel may prompt it to support the Security Council's plan for a substantial intervention in Israel, opening up new possibilities for a peaceful settlement of the Gaza conflict.
Overall, the future of the conflict in Gaza is uncertain. The diplomatic impasse between the United States and Israel has made the road to a solution even more tortuous. However, with the game of forces and negotiations between the parties, a peaceful solution is still possible. The crux of the matter may be whether the United States is determined enough to pressure Israel to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. At this critical juncture, we cannot help but wonder if the international community can work together to defuse the current crisis and bring real peace to Gaza