Gaza conflict: ceasefire or escalation?
The Israeli government and representatives of Islamic Jihad have agreed on a ceasefire with Egyptian mediation. At least for the first few hours on Monday, both sides have adhered to the truce. A look at Europe's commentaries shows how unstable the situation in and around the Gaza Strip remains.
Now it's up to Hamas
Gazeta Wyborcza reflects on the threat of further escalation:
“So far clashes have taken place exclusively between Israel and Islamic Jihad. Like Hamas, IJ is classified as a terrorist organisation by the West, is headquartered in Damascus and is supported by Iran. For the time being, Hamas itself has not engaged in the current exchange of fire and there are no reports of Israeli attacks on its bases. Should Hamas join the conflict, which has a powerful arsenal of rockets, it would mean a huge escalation and a new iteration of the war at a time when the damage from last year's war has yet to be rebuilt.”
Iran-Russia axis is destabilising the region
El Mundo hopes the US will step in as mediator:
“Behind Islamic Jihad is its main supporter, Iran, which has shown worrying signs in recent months that it is once again stepping on the gas to destabilise the delicate regional status quo. The ayatollahs' regime sees the war in Ukraine as an opportunity to strengthen its alliance with Russia, thereby increasing the threat to the West. ... During his recent visit to the region, US President Joe Biden again advocated a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. ... The White House must revive a just peace process.”
Brutality before the elections is no coincidence
For the taz there is something strange about the Israeli attacks:
“It doesn't seem like a coincidence that Israeli soldiers went out just now to arrest jihadists in the West Bank and that the air force was given the command for 'preventive execution'. Instead, the unpalatable suspicion arises that this could be linked to the general elections scheduled for 1 November. Yair Lapid has barely been prime minister for two months and would like to remain so beyond the election date. Does he want to send a signal to voters that he is just as brutal in matters of warfare as his biggest rival, Mr. Security, Benjamin Netanyahu? ... Showing strength for votes: how pathetic that would be - and how risky.”