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Israel Doesn’t Want Escalation in Gaza

Palestinians burn tires during previous clashes with Israeli soldiers near the border fence between Israel and Gaza. (AFP)
Palestinians burn tires during previous clashes with Israeli soldiers near the border fence between Israel and Gaza. (AFP)
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Israel Doesn’t Want Escalation in Gaza

Palestinians burn tires during previous clashes with Israeli soldiers near the border fence between Israel and Gaza. (AFP)
Palestinians burn tires during previous clashes with Israeli soldiers near the border fence between Israel and Gaza. (AFP)

Tor Wennesland, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has affirmed that there are ongoing international efforts to avoid a security deterioration in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stressed that his government doesn’t want an escalation or fight in the Gaza Strip.

“This evening, it is important that we remind the terrorist elements in Gaza of the real power dynamics between the Israeli army and Hamas and its partners,” the minister said during a commemorative ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the October War.

“We don't want an escalation and we don't want to fight, but if we reach a situation where it is necessary to act, Operation Shield and Arrow should serve as a reminder to any terrorist elements what the capabilities of our security system are," Gallant said.

If Israeli citizens or Israeli army soldiers are harmed, “we will not hesitate to use the full force at our disposal to ensure the safety of our citizens, and to restore peace to the sector," he stressed.

Gallant had participated Wednesday in a consultative meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli army's Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, the head of the National Security Council of Israel Tzachi Hanegbi, and a group of officers attended the meeting that discussed expected scenarios of the protests in Gaza.

The intelligence revealed that “Hamas” doesn’t want an escalation, however, Bar stated that the protests increase the possibility of making a mistake that leads to a new escalation round that could be violent.

While the security officials advised Israel to contribute to the calm, they stressed the necessity to be prepared for "a potential escalation".

“The United Nations is talking to and working with all concerned to improve the lives of people in Gaza, particularly the most vulnerable,” Wennesland said Thursday on his X account.

One day after his meeting with “Hamas” officials in Gaza, he added: “The situation inside the Strip is dire and we must avoid another conflict that will have grave consequences for all. The people of Gaza have suffered enough and deserve more than a return to calm.”

Moreover, a regional diplomat said Egypt had stepped up its efforts to prevent a slide into another war, according to Reuters.

The diplomat added that international mediators have stepped up efforts to prevent a new round of armed confrontation between Israel and the Palestinian resistance forces.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.