Israel and Palestine continued airstrikes against each other even as the world leaders called for control and peace talks. Over 67 people have been killed so far, including 17 children, in Gaza and nearly 400 others have sustained injuries after days of near relentless Israeli airstrikes, according to news agency AFP. Meanwhile, Israel has lost over their civilians to the rocket attacks by Hamas since the start of the week.
Multiple countries have reacted to the ongoing airstrikes between the two. US President Joe Biden has guaranteed Israeli leaders of the support while requesting them to end the fighting. “My expectation and hope are that this will be closing down sooner than later... But Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory,” Biden said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also urged Israel and the Palestinians to take steps towards de-escalation. "Serious concern was expressed about the continuing clashes and the growing number of people killed and wounded," the Kremlin said in a statement. India also expressed deep concern at conflicts and has called on both sides to avoid changing the status-quo on the ground. In a tweet, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti recommended direct peace talks between the two nations.
Both Hamas leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have already stated that they will intensify the exchange of firepower if needed. The renewed fighting in Gaza marks the largest outbreak of violence between Israel and Palestinian militants since the 50-day war seven years back (2021).
The rising crisis between Israeli forces and Palestinian militant groups, led by the terror group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip has escaletd concern and condemnation from the world. Multiple personalities from sports have spoken out on the current crisis while many have also raised their voice over the atrocities against the latest round of fighting between Israel and Palestine.
Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan took to Twitter and said, “As an athlete who plays cricket around the world, I want to see this world out of war. I can’t watch people being killed in #Afghanistan & #Palestine. No crime is more heinous than the killing of a child. I want these children to wake up to the sound of birds & not bombs.”
While, India’s former pacer Irfan Pathan on his Twitter handle wrote, “If you have even slightest of humanity you will not support what’s happening in #Palestine #SaveHumanity
Apart from cricketers, many football stars around the world also commented on the tensed issue. Many Premier League football stars, including Manchester City's player Riyad Mahrez, along with Liverpool's Sadio Mane, Mo Salah both tweeted to show their solidarity with the Palestinians.
Egypt’s football star Mohamed Salah on his Twitter handle wrote, “I’m calling on all the world leaders including on the Prime Minister of the country that has been my home for the past 4 years to do everything in their power to make sure the violence and killing of innocent people stops immediately. Enough is enough @BorisJohnson.”
Tensions were already rumbling of late with an attempt by Israeli colonisers to forcibly expel Palestinian families from their homes from the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The violence broke out on Friday night when Israeli police attacked worshipers in the compound of the Al Aqsa Mosque and has only since intensified, leaving 83 dead while injuring several hundreds.
Israel has hit over 350 targets in Gaza, a small territory where 20 lakh Palestinians have lived under a cramped Israeli-Egyptian barrier since Hamas took power in 2007. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group held power in Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.