FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Israelis mark on Monday the first anniversary of the devastating attack by Hamas, which sparked a war that has sparked protests and risks igniting a much wider conflict in the Middle East.
Ceremonies and protests in Jerusalem and southern Israel were scheduled to begin around 6:29 a.m., the time when Hamas militants fired rockets into Israel at the start of the attack on October 7 last year.
The attack on October 7, 2023 stemmed from an unresolved conflict of more than a century. Its members crossed the well-guarded border with Israel and sparked the worst outbreak of violence since the Yom Kippur War.
About 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were killed and another 250 were taken hostage. Since then, Israel's response has caused untold devastation to Palestinians in Gaza. Some 43,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, according to Hamas' health ministry.
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble as Palestinians accuse Israel of genocide. Hamas' attack on Israeli communities around Gaza and Israel's relentless campaign in response have destabilized the Middle East region as fighting has spread to Lebanon.
The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon have raised fears of an all-out war between Israel and Iran. After Nasrallah's assassination, Iran retaliated by firing about 200 missiles at Israel, although many were intercepted with US assistance.
The main question now is whether the conflict will escalate and whether US forces will become more directly involved. Washington has defended Israel's right to strike Iran, but warns against direct attacks on its nuclear facilities, fearing such action could set off an uncontrollable chain reaction.
Lini një Përgjigje