Iran has issued a grave warning that the ongoing conflict in Gaza will only lead to further escalation, saying that the size of civilian suffering caused by Israel’s war on Hamas will inevitably result in an expansion of the conflict. This warning came as officials in Gaza reported Israeli air strikes on or near several hospitals in the Palestinian enclave.
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, conveyed this message during a telephone conversation with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Thursday night. He then went on to tell the Qatari official that further expansion of the conflict is now “inevitable.”
Iran, which supports Hamas, also backs the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has deep ties with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian faction in Gaza backed by Iran.
The situation in Gaza has become dire, with thousands of civilians seeking medical treatment and shelter in the few hospitals still open. The month-old Israeli military campaign to wipe out Hamas following the militants’ Oct. 7 raid on southern Israel has left Gaza’s hospitals struggling to cope, as medical supplies, clean water, and fuel to power generators have been running out.
Reports of Israeli strikes on hospitals including the Al Shifa hospital, the biggest in Gaza City, have raised concerns over the safety of civilians seeking medical care and shelter. Other hospitals, such as the Indonesian Hospital, have also been reportedly targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
The United States, which has deployed naval forces to the Eastern Mediterranean to help keep the conflict from further destabilizing the region, has called upon Israel to fully comply with international law and distinguish between terrorists and civilians.
In an effort to address the dire situation, the White House said on Thursday that Israel agreed to pause military operations in parts of north Gaza for four hours a day, allowing people to flee along two humanitarian corridors, and potentially for the release of hostages. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that any pauses in fighting would be limited.
This escalation of conflict between Israel and Hamas is a serious concern and has the potential to destabilize the entire region. The escalating violence, along with fears of a further expansion of the conflict, has sparked international concerns and calls for protecting civilian lives and ensuring compliance with international law.