Gaza City – As fragile truces hold between the US and Iran, and between Israel and Lebanon, Palestinians are haunted by one question: will the de-escalation on other fronts help Israel intensify its military assaults on the enclave, or force it to tread cautiously?
Since April 8, the US and Iran have maintained a truce after weeks of bombing. But Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade of Iranian ports threaten the region, even as mediator Pakistan tries to bring both sides back to negotiations.
US President Donald Trump said last week that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the truce for three weeks. The Iran-backed Hezbollah group was not included in the talks, and Israeli troops continue to occupy the so-called 'Yellow Line' in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli government has signaled readiness to continue military operations in Gaza despite relative calm on other fronts. This fuels Palestinian fears of a return to full-scale war. Experts say Israel's chosen course may depend on Hamas's stance on Western demands – disarmament.
According to researcher Wissam Afifa, the relative calm on the Iranian and Lebanese fronts increases Gaza's weight in Israeli calculations, as reduced multi-front attrition 'allows shifting military and political attention to the unresolved agenda'.
