The Age ? AP, Reuters, Bloomberg | Natassia Chrysanthos | 17.10.23
About 300,000 Israeli troops have massed at the borders of Gaza and Lebanon, escalating the risk of a war on two fronts, while international diplomatic efforts raced to secure the opening of Gaza’s Egyptian border so humanitarian aid can get into the besieged enclave.
More than a million people have been told to flee their homes in Gaza ahead of an expected Israel invasion that seeks to eliminate Hamas’ leadership after its deadly rampage through Israeli border towns 10 days ago. Gaza’s food and water supplies are dwindling, and its hospitals are warning that they are on the verge of collapse.
The US has been trying to broker a deal to reopen Egypt’s Rafah crossing with Gaza so humanitarian aid can be brought in and foreigners can leave the enclave.
Fears of a broader regional conflict have intensified after fighting along Israel’s border with Lebanon escalated on Sunday, with Hezbollah militants firing rockets and an anti-tank missile and Israel responding with airstrikes and shelling.
A Hezbollah spokeswoman said the increased strikes represented a ‘‘warning’’ after a journalist and two Lebanese civilians were killed, and did not mean the Iran-backed militant group had decided to enter the war. Iran warned Israel of escalation if it failed to end aggressions against Palestinians.
A spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lior Haiat, told a media briefing yesterday that ‘‘the terror government of Iran’’ was trying to create another front for Israel to fight. ‘‘We’ve sent a clear message to the government of Lebanon . . . If there will be a second front, Lebanon will pay a huge price for it,’’ he said.
‘‘We have no will to start a new front, but we will respond to any attack on Israel.’’
Israel Defence Force spokesman Peter Lerner said the majority of Israel’s 300,000 reservists were positioned on the Gaza border, waiting for a government instruction to mobilise and take control ‘‘of the fortress that Hamas has established in Gaza City’’.
Others are stationed on the northern frontier with Lebanon, anticipating further conflict with Hezbollah. They are supported by a growing deployment of US warships in the region.
Israeli officials have given no timetable for a ground invasion that aid groups warn could hasten a humanitarian crisis in the coastal Gaza enclave.
A week of blistering airstrikes has demolished entire neighbourhoods but failed to stem militant rocket fire into Israel.
The Gaza Health Ministry said 2670 Palestinians have been killed and 9600 wounded since the fighting erupted. More than 1400 Israelis have died, the vast majority civilians killed in Hamas’ October 7 assault. At least 155 others were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza, according to Israel.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a passionate plea for aid to reach Gaza as he said the Middle East was on ‘‘the verge of the abyss’’.
‘‘I have two humanitarian appeals: To Hamas, the hostages must be immediately released without conditions. To Israel, rapid [and] unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be granted for the sake of the civilians in Gaza.’’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday (US time) said the Rafah crossing would reopen, but did not give a specific timeline.
‘‘We’re putting in place with the United Nations, with Egypt, with Israel, with others, a mechanism by which to get the assistance in and to get it to people who need it,’’ he said after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday.
President Joe Biden is considering a trip to Israel, although no plans have been finalised.
Biden has urged Israel to follow the laws of war in its response to the Hamas attacks, and on Sunday said in a social media post that ‘‘the overwhelming majority of Palestinians had nothing to do with Hamas’ appalling attacks and are suffering as a result of them’’.