The Israeli military says it will not distract from the war in Gaza. (document)
Palestinian territories:
Israel launched an overnight attack on the war-torn Gaza Strip as world leaders urged de-escalation pending Israel’s response to an unprecedented Iranian attack, Hamas and witnesses said on Monday, fueling fears of a wider conflict.
World powers urged restraint after Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel late Saturday, but the Israeli military said nearly all of them had been intercepted.
Tehran launched its first direct attack on Israel in retaliation for a deadly attack on the consulate in Damascus on April 1, following months of violence in the region involving Iranian proxies and allies who say they are acting in support of Palestinians in Gaza. people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his war cabinet on Sunday but had not yet made a decision on how or when Israel would respond to an Iranian attack, local media said, and planned another meeting later on Monday.
Tensions in Iran “weaken the regime and instead serve Israel,” the newspaper said, adding that it showed Israeli leaders would not rush to retaliate.
Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi warned that Israel’s “reckless” moves would trigger a “stronger reaction”, while Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said on Monday that Western countries should “appreciate the Come with restraint.”
Tehran insisted the attack on Israel was an act of “self-defence” after the Damascus attack killed seven Revolutionary Guards personnel, including two generals.
– The war in Gaza continues –
The Israeli military says it will not distract from the Tehran-backed Hamas war in Gaza, which was sparked by an October 7 attack by the Palestinian armed group.
“Even under attack from Iran, we have not forgotten … our critical mission in Gaza, which is to rescue our hostages from the Iranian proxy Hamas,” military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said late Sunday.
As mediators seek to reach a deal to stop the fighting, concerns remain over Israel’s plans to send ground troops to Rafah. Rafah is a southern city where most of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have taken refuge.
“Hamas is still holding our hostages in Gaza,” Haghari said of some 130 people, including 34 people presumed dead. Israel says the men remain in the hands of Palestinian militants since the Hamas attack.
“We still have hostages in Rafah and we will do everything we can to bring them home,” a military spokesman said in a briefing.
The army said it was calling in “two reserve brigades for operational activities” about a week after withdrawing most of its ground troops from Gaza.
The Hamas government media office said Israeli aircraft and tanks launched “dozens” of attacks overnight in central Gaza, causing many casualties.
Witnesses told AFP there were attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp and clashes also broke out in other areas of central and northern Gaza.
Hamas attacks sparked fighting that killed 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,729 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-controlled region’s health ministry.
– Fear of retaliation –
The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday following the Iranian attack, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning the region was “on the brink of war.”
“Neither the region nor the world can afford more wars,” the UN chief said.
“Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate.”
European Council President Charles Michel wrote on X after a video conference on Sunday that G7 leaders also condemned the Iranian attack and called on all parties to “restrain.”
French President Macron said on Monday that the French government will make every effort to avoid a “conflagration” in the Middle East.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “our proposal is to contribute to de-escalating the situation” after Israel’s “successful” interception of the Iranian launch.
The United States, Israel’s top ally, also urged caution and calm.
“We don’t want to see an escalation,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told NBC.
After the attack, U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated Washington’s “unwavering” support for Israel.
However, a senior U.S. official said Biden also told Netanyahu that his administration would not provide military support for any retaliation against Iran.
News of the impending attack prompted Israel to close schools and announce restrictions on public gatherings, measures that the military said early Monday would be lifted in much of the country.
State media said airports in the Iranian capital and elsewhere had reopened on Monday.
Worries about wider regional conflict drove stocks lower on Monday.
– Truce “on the table” –
More than six months of war have left the besieged Gaza Strip facing dire humanitarian conditions.
Thousands of Palestinians headed north on Sunday amid rumors that Israel had reopened checkpoints on the coastal road from the southern part of the territory to Gaza City, although Israel denied they were open.
“Even if it (my house) is destroyed, I want to go there. I can’t stay in the south,” said displaced resident Basma Salman as he tried to return to northern Gaza.
“It was so crowded. We couldn’t even get some fresh air. It was terrible.”
In Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza, civil defense teams said they had recovered at least 18 bodies from under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Hamas said late Saturday it insisted on a “permanent ceasefire” and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, responding to the latest ceasefire plan proposed by U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Israel’s Mossad spy agency called it a “rejection” of the proposal and accused Hamas of “continuing to exploit tensions with Iran.”
However, the United States said mediation efforts were continuing.
“We’re not going to consider diplomacy dying,” said the National Security Council’s Kirby.
“There is a new deal on the table … and it’s a good deal” that would lead to the release of some hostages, a cessation of fighting and more humanitarian relief in Gaza, he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
