22 October 2024, The Israeli attacks on Gaza and southern Beirut of Lebanon continue, but at an increased level of intensity. During these attacks in Gaza, a mosque and a school in Deir al-Balah housing displaced families were hit. There, 23 civilians were killed. In another development, evacuation orders were announced for tens of thousands of residents in Jabalia, in northern Gaza-a move that has been interpreted to suggest a ground invasion may be contemplated.
The fighting has overspilled into Lebanon, with Israeli jets striking the strongholds of Hezbollah in southern Beirut. The military said the attacks were “focused” missions aimed at interrupting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. The United Nations, though, has called for an end to the bombardments, worried over the impact on civilians.
It comes after the attack on October 7 by Hamas militants on southern Israel and all kinds of retaliatory strikes. The conflict has now spiraled to different fronts, making Lebanon a very crucial fighting point. Hezbollah has been launching rockets into northern Israel since hostilities commenced, further aggravating things.
Ceasefire talks have proved difficult. US Vice President Kamala Harris said that Washington was pressing all parties to stand down, but talks had so far yielded little traction. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deteriorating daily with food and water running short and medical supplies running low that add to the misery of the 2.3 million residents.
With the civilians managing to flee both Gaza and southern Lebanon, international organizations warned of a possible refugee crisis. The World Health Organization reported significant damage to the health infrastructure in the region, raising alarms about the possible long-term impact on public health.
This is an area of growing regional instability since the conflict does not show any signs of abatement. The global leaders have called for a renewal in diplomatic effort to prevent further bloodshed and regional fallout as the situation develops.
