Why is the war in the Middle East getting worse?
On April 1st, in a hospital in Rafah, south of Gaza, people were immersed in sadness. A few days later, on April 30th, an air-drop operation aimed at alleviating the humanitarian crisis was launched over Gaza. The food shortage caused by the conflict brought the land to the brink of famine. Time jumped to October 7, 2023, and a new round of conflict between Palestine and Israel once again ignited the war. This round of conflict has become an unprecedented page with its persistence, intensity and serious consequences. Why the war in the Middle East is getting worse.
As the conflict continues, the humanitarian crisis intensifies, the scope of influence continues to expand, and the shadow of all-out war is quietly approaching. Iran’s missile attack on Israel on October 1 is the latest example of the chaotic situation in the region. Conflicts and crises in the Middle East are slipping into the abyss of comprehensive escalation.
Gaza suffered unprecedented casualties and property losses in this conflict. After the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) launched the operation, the Israeli counterattack caused serious humanitarian disasters and economic losses. According to the data of the Palestinian Ministry of Health on September 23rd, the conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and nearly 100,000 injuries. The infrastructure in Gaza has been almost destroyed, the economy has been hit hard, the unemployment rate has soared, and agricultural production facilities have been completely destroyed.
Israel itself has been scarred by this conflict, with not only a large number of soldiers killed or injured, but also thousands of enterprises closed down due to the deterioration of the security environment and labor shortage. Internationally, Israel’s sovereign credit rating declined, domestic people’s dissatisfaction with the government rose, and large-scale protests broke out, followed by criticism and diplomatic pressure from the international community.
In addition, the spillover effect of the conflict is obvious, the previous peace trend in the Middle East has been reversed, many countries have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel or recalled their ambassadors, and the International Criminal Court is facing accusations against Israel. Other armed forces in the region have also begun to attack Israel, affecting the stability of the global supply chain.
Israel’s extremist behavior in the conflict has been questioned, including the expansion of the scope of operations and the frequent crossing of moral boundaries. These actions prompted Iran to directly intervene and launch missiles at Israel, and the momentum of conflict escalation has not diminished.