“Gaza Explodes as Israel Retaliates against Hamas Atrocities

The Gaza crisis continues to grow, with tensions between Hamas and Israel reaching an all-time high. In recent weeks, Hamas has launched more than 4,000 rockets into Israel in retaliation for Israel’s recent airstrikes against the terror group. In response, Israel launched an intense bombardment of Hamas-controlled areas of Gaza. The protracted conflict has taken a heavy toll on Gaza’s two million residents, many of whom have been forced to live in shelters and cope with a lack of access to food, water, and electricity. The recent violence has also led to the displacement of nearly 50,000 Palestinians, most of whom are now living in the increasingly overcrowded United Nations shelters. The violence has only escalated in the past week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the IDF will continue its attacks against Hamas until they discontinue their indiscriminate rocket fire into Israel. Netanyahu also declared that the Israeli army “will respond vigorously to any attempt to harm the citizens of our state.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry has issued a call for an immediate ceasefire, yet Hamas has refused to accept this call, claiming it would only end the current ceasefire when Israel ends its “occupation” of the Gaza Strip. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the death of nearly 250 people, including 50 children and several Palestinian medical workers. Over 3,250 people have been injured, with many of the injuries requiring intensive care. The UN is seeking to lend its assistance to end the conflict, but its efforts are being hampered by the daunting task of gaining access to the embattled region. The current crisis is one of the gravest faced by the Middle East in decades, and it remains to be seen what further actions both sides will take in the coming weeks and months. As of now, both Israel and Hamas are continuing to mete out devastating attacks in what appears to be an increasingly hopeless situation. Only time will tell if the current crisis will ever come to an end, but the sheer scope and intensity of the violence suggest that the situation is becoming beyond repair.