(VOVworld)- The Gaza Strip in the Middle East has over the past few days been continuously hit by Israeli’s air strikes which killed hundreds of civilians and brought both Israel and Palestine to the verge of war. Recent developments in the Gaza Strip show that it’s hard to create peace in the Middle East despite international efforts.
Though Hamas and Israel have both agreed to respect a five-hour ceasefire from 10:00 to 15:00 in Gaza after nine days of fighting, the agreement was said to be fragile because it was only long enough for residents in Gaza to stock up on supplies. Earlier, a cease-fire agreement brokered by Egypt fell apart.
Hamas had earlier proposed a 10-year cease-fire in exchange for the release of re-arrested Palestinian prisoners who were let go in the Schalit deal, the opening of Gaza-Israel border crossings in order to allow citizens and goods to pass through, and international supervision of the Gazan seaport in place of the current Israeli blockade. However, Israel rejected the proposal.
Why can’t the two states co-exist peacefully?
The conflict in Gaza erupted after 3 Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered in June and 1 Palestinian youngster in Jerusalem was killed in a so-called revenge move. Immediately, Israel launched a military operation in Gaza to counter Hamas’s rocket attacks at Israeli territory which killed 250 people and injured more than 1,570 others.
In fact, Hamas and Israel have been conflicted for a long time. Hamas, an official Islamic organization that governs the Gaza strip and the West Bank, was founded in 1987 and known as the Sunni Islamic Movement. Its charter is to eliminate the Israeli state and develop Allah Islamic codes all over Palestine under the motto: “Upholding Allah flag on Palestine”.
While the Fatah movement in Palestine is considered a moderate organization supported by the US and the West, the Hamas organization is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, Israel, and the EU, who are pressing Hamas to give up armed struggle, recognize the Jewish State and respect agreements signed with Israel. But Hamas insisted on its tough stance. In late 2012, Fatah and Hamas agreed to end clashes and joined efforts to establish an independence Palestinian state. This historic handshake shocked the US and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin `1Netanyahu then called the agreement a victory of terrorism. Since then, clashes continued in the Gaza strip as one side resolutely opposes the construction of Jewish settlement and the other side doesn’t accept the Israeli state.
Efforts to end conflicts in Gaza
The international community has expressed deep concern about increasing clashes between Israel and Palestine over the past few days. The European Union and the Arab League called on concerned countries to show restraint and cease fire. The UN Security Council is concerned about innocent people. The spokesperson for the While House has warned Tel Aviv not to launch any ground operation in Gaza. This was the first time that the White House denounced an operation by Israel in Gaza. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is making diplomatic efforts with Egypt and Turkey to seek a temporary solution to the situation.
Continued bloodshed in Gaza
Despite international efforts to seek a solution to the situation in Gaza, both sides have over the past few days increased retaliation activities. Israel’s air strikes have destroyed 560 houses and damaged thousands others and forced more than 17,000 people in Gaza to flee away from their homes.
Since Hamas has a close link with the Muslim Brotherhood network in many Arab countries and especially strong support from Iran, the conflict in Gaza is spreading throughout the Middle East. Future in the region is unpredictable.