Palestinians in Gaza fear that the ongoing crisis in Lebanon, marked by escalating clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, is diverting global attention away from their own conflict, where Israeli airstrikes have killed dozens in recent days. Many in Gaza are concerned that the focus on Lebanon is diminishing already slim hopes for a ceasefire in the war with Israel, now stretching into its second year.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began in October last year, has devastated Gaza. With the Lebanese front grabbing headlines, Gazans like Hussam Ali, a resident of Gaza City, worry that the war in their territory will only continue without the world’s focus. “The focus is on Lebanon, which means the war in Gaza isn’t ending anytime soon,” Ali told Reuters.
Amid the crisis, Iran-backed Hezbollah’s involvement in Lebanon has sparked regional fears, with both Israel and Hamas suggesting the Lebanon conflict could influence the war in Gaza. However, analysts and mediating officials are skeptical. Some say the shift in attention to Lebanon is making a Gaza ceasefire even more unlikely. Ashraf Abouelhoul, an editor at Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper, noted, “No one in the world is now talking about a deal or a ceasefire, and that frees Israel’s hand to continue its military offensive in Gaza.”
Israeli strikes have continued relentlessly, with at least 99 Palestinians reported killed in the past 24 hours alone. Mediation efforts from Egypt, a key player in ceasefire negotiations, have so far failed to yield a breakthrough. The focus on Lebanon and Israel’s intensified campaign against Hezbollah have left Gaza’s war far from resolution, further compounding the human toll on both sides.
