Gaza conflict: Escalating tensions
Netanyahu's decision: the Gaza conflict spreads.
The Israeli offensive on Gaza is expanding at an alarming rate, with the scale of the conflict expanding from ground military operations in the north to air strikes in the south. Netanyahu said at a news conference on December 2 that instructions had been given to the IDF to resume fighting in a more intense manner and that military operations would be expanded until all objectives were achieved.
All-out airstrikes: Attacks on the north and south of Gaza.
On December 2, local time, the Israeli military carried out a full-scale airstrike on the Gaza Strip, striking more than 400 Hamas targets. The airstrikes were mainly concentrated in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, and Beit Lahiya in the north. The move has sparked global discontent, notably US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's warning to Israel during his trip to the Middle East to reduce harm to civilians in southern Gaza.
Evacuation notice sparks controversy: Israel's tactics?
Under pressure, the Israeli military used warplanes to drop leaflets announcing evacuation notices in Khan Younis and the surrounding area on 3 December. The notice called for an immediate evacuation, but communication facilities were damaged and information was barely accessible. Israel** reported that the military had numbered the Gaza region and marked the "evacuation zone" on the map, but the actual effect was worrying.
The ground offensive is emerging: where can the people go?
Despite the evacuation notices, there is no safe place for people fleeing from the north in southern Gaza. On 4 December, eyewitnesses reported that dozens of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and bulldozers had entered the vicinity of Khan Younis. This is a sign that a ground offensive may be imminent.
International accusations escalated: "Racial *** controversy.
At the same time, a dispute broke out between representatives of Israel and Palles, with each side accusing the other of committing "ethnicity" and the Israeli mission called Hamas's October 7 attack a "genocidal ideology", while the Palestinian representative accused Israel's massive bombing and ground attacks as "textbook cases of genocide."
Death toll surges: Humanitarian catastrophe looms.
As of December 5, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has resulted in more than 1 death730,000, the death toll in the Gaza Strip exceeded 15,800, and the number of injured exceeded 42,000. Israeli Defense Minister Gallant issued a statement saying that the military operation would last at least two months, heralding more humanitarian catastrophes.
Hopeless prospects for negotiations: a lasting ceasefire is elusive.
Despite renewed calls by the international community and the United Nations for a lasting humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, Israel faces increasing condemnation. While negotiations may be under pressure, the likelihood of a lasting ceasefire is low. In the future, Gaza could fall into an alternating cycle of belligerence and ceasefire.