Israel Bombs Gaza Amid Simmering US Disagreements

Israel intensified its military operations in southern Gaza on Friday, following a public disagreement with its main ally, the United States, over the creation of a Palestinian state. Washington views the establishment of such a state as the only viable solution for lasting peace in the region.

Early Friday, witnesses in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza’s primary city, reported hearing gunfire and air strikes. This area is known for harboring many Hamas members and leaders. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported heavy artillery fire near Al-Amal hospital, and the Gaza-based, Hamas-run health ministry stated that 77 people were killed and dozens injured overnight.

The Israeli military confirmed that its Givati Brigade was actively engaged in combat in southern Gaza, claiming the elimination of dozens of terrorists through close combat, tank fire, and air support.

According to the United Nations, the conflict, which began with Hamas’s unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7, has displaced about 85% of Gaza’s 2.4 million inhabitants. These displaced individuals are struggling to access food, water, fuel, and medical care in shelters. The UN stresses the urgent need for improved aid access as the threat of famine and disease looms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 24 cases of hepatitis A and thousands of cases of jaundice, likely linked to the viral liver infection’s spread due to dire living conditions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the health crisis as “explosive” on social media.

The Israeli military’s response to Hamas’s attacks, which resulted in around 1,140 deaths in Israel, has been relentless. Hamas’s offensive also involved seizing about 250 hostages, of which approximately 132 remain in Gaza. The AFP tally, based on Israeli figures, indicates that at least 27 hostages have been killed.

The Israeli counter-offensive has resulted in at least 24,620 Palestinian deaths, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting that around 70% were women, children, and adolescents. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel aims for “total victory,” which he defined as the elimination of terrorist leaders, destruction of Hamas’s capabilities, the return of hostages, and the demilitarization of Gaza.

Regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the call for a pathway to its creation at the World Economic Forum in Davos. However, Netanyahu firmly rejected this idea, asserting that Israel must maintain security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River. This stance contradicts the concept of Palestinian sovereignty.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, acknowledged differences with Israel on this matter. In response to Netanyahu’s remarks, the spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas emphasized that without an independent Palestinian state, there would be no regional security and stability.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported at least six deaths in Tulkarem, the West Bank, due to Israeli army raids.

The war’s potential to spread across the region is a growing concern, with ongoing exchanges of fire on the Israeli-Lebanese border and increased attacks by Houthi rebels on ships in the waters around Yemen. In response, the U.S. has intensified its strikes in Yemen.

The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted vessels they associate with Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, supporting Palestinians in Gaza. They have also declared U.S. and British ships as legitimate targets following airstrikes by these countries in Yemen.

On Friday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for another attack on a U.S. ship in the Gulf of Aden. However, the U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed that the vessel, the Marshall Islands-flagged Chem Ranger, was safe despite the missile launch.

A senior Houthi official promised safe passage through the Red Sea for Russian and Chinese vessels, emphasizing the selective nature of their maritime attacks.