A new round of violence between Israel and Hamas
On May 7 2021, more than 200 people have been wounded following the outbreak of violence between Palestinian worshippers and the Israeli police at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service more than 80 people were immediately taken to hospital after the clashes.
The outbreak of violence has been the result of rising tensions between Israel and Palestine, over the potential eviction of Palestinians from areas claimed by Jewish settlers. The Israeli Police claims that it had to use force to counter violent rioters who were throwing stones and other objects to Israeli officers.
On the other hand, the Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas stated that Israel is responsible for the outbreak of this violent incident and he called the UN Security Council to intervene. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the recent hostilities, but no official statement was produced as the US claimed that such a statement could be counterproductive in the process of de-escalation.
Following the clashes, the European Union, the UK, the US, Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council have all expressed their concerns over the escalation of tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians and they called on both sides to de-escalate tensions and avoid violent confrontations.
At the same time, the Islamist Hamas movement, which is in control of the Gaza Strip, condemned Israel’s actions at Al-Aqsa mosque and stated that Israel will pay for its aggression.
Since Monday, Hamas and Israel have been engaged into a continuous exchange of rockets. Israeli officials have confirmed the death of senior Hamas officials, while civilians and children from both sides have also lost their lives.
At the same time, thousands of people are protesting against Israel in Turkey. The Turksih President, Tayyip Erdoğan has condemned the Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip and has stated his willingness to fight against Israel. The US and Germany, on the other hand, have stated that ‘Israel has the right to self-defence’, while the UN calls on both sides to stop the violence.
In the meantime, Israel is facing an ongoing political uncertainty with the current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, failing to form a government and his rivals in the process of attempting to form a new coalition government.
The current exchange of violence between Israel and Hamas has been the worst escalation between Israel and Hamas since 2014, with the UN expressing its fears over the outbreak of a ‘full-scale war’.