Hamas: Expansion of conflict in the Middle East inevitable, without a solution for Gaza

2024-10-16 20:54:41, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hamas: Expansion of conflict in the Middle East inevitable, without a solution

A solution to the rapidly expanding regional conflict that has spread to Lebanon and beyond depends on resolving the initial crisis in Gaza, a senior Hamas official said Wednesday.

As the war in Gaza has now entered its second year, fighting has flared up in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops are already facing armed Hezbollah militants backed by Iran. The situation risks escalating into a direct conflict with Iran.

Diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting have stalled and attention is now focused on an expected Israeli attack on Iran following Tehran's October 1 missile attack, the second this year.

" It is not easy to achieve a permanent ceasefire or a permanent solution to this conflict without solving it at its origin, which is the conflict in the Gaza region ," said Basem Naim for the Reuters agency in Istanbul.

His comments underscore how difficult it will be to resolve a war that also includes the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen, which already threatens to draw the United States into the war. Washington this week sent the advanced missile defense system, THAAD, to Israel.

The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to reports from Israeli officials.

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According to authorities in Gaza, a region under Hamas control, Israel's military campaign has killed more than 42,000 people, devastated much of the region, and displaced most of its population.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas while Hamas remains a staunch enemy of the Jewish state.

Hezbollah, which fired its first volley of rockets at Israel shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack in solidarity with Hamas, has recently begun talking about a possible ceasefire, but Basem Naim said that would leave it unresolved the broader issue.

" Even if they reach a ceasefire in Lebanon, there will be no peace in the region because they are not talking about solving all the issues, those related to Lebanon or Palestine ," he said.

Efforts brokered by Qatar and Egypt to stop the fighting and return the Israeli hostages have come to nothing, and Israel and Hamas blame each other for the stalemate.

Basem Naim said mediators were "disappointed" by the expansion of the conflict beyond Gaza's borders, but he again blamed Israel for the failure of the talks.

" We cannot simply start negotiating the new conditions added by (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu ," he said.

Hamas: Expansion of conflict in the Middle East inevitable, without a solution

Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas' military and governance capabilities, but it does not appear to be close to ending its campaign in Gaza, where it stepped up pressure in the northern part of the region two weeks ago.

Basem Naim said the latest Israeli offensive was a "much more suffocating siege" than others.

" It is much more brutal and aggressive (than previous operations). It directly targets the houses where civilians live ," he said.

Israel says its troops have killed dozens of Hamas fighters in recent days. On the other hand, international concern about the humanitarian situation faced by the Palestinians has increased. The United States is calling on Israel to guarantee the passage of more aid.

But the Hamas official said the US positions were contradictory.

" At the same time that the Americans are calling for more humanitarian aid, they are sending billions and billions of dollars and arms to (Israel), and every time they are using the veto in the Security Council to block international will ," he said. ./ VOA