US, Europe attempting to contain war in Gaza
US and Europe diplomats are trying their level best to contain the war in Gaza from spilling over but find it to be a major challenge.
Confrontations in the West Bank have risen sharply since Israeli forces launched their retaliatory offensive on Gaza, laying waste to the Palestinian enclave as they seek to wipe out Hamas, reported Reuters.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, were on separate trips to the region to try to quell spillover from the war into Lebanon, the West Bank and Red Sea shipping lanes.
“We have an intense focus on preventing this conflict from spreading,” said Blinken, who will also travel to Israel, the West Bank, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt during his fourth trip to the region.
Hamas’ ally, the Hezbollah have launched attacks from Lebanon whereas the Houthis in Yemen are launching attacks on ships they believe are Israelis.
The Israeli Defence Forces meanwhile claimed that they have completely dismantled Hamas military framework in north Gaza and killed 8,000 Hamas men there.
Israe has sent signals that it would scale down its forces in the wake of international pressure over mounting death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.