Netanyahu's son's wedding postponed due to war in Gaza!

Netanyahu's son's wedding postponed due to war in Gaza!

The wedding of Avner Netanyahu, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was originally scheduled to take place on Monday but was postponed due to ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip. A new date for the ceremony with Amit Yardeni has not yet been set. The decision to postpone is met with resentment in Israel. Many citizens are critical of a celebration during a war in which numerous lives have already been lost. Activists have even called for the planned celebration to be disrupted. The wedding had previously been postponed due to the conflict with Iran, which began with a rocket attack on Israel.

Fighting in the Gaza Strip has been ongoing since October 7, 2023. As a result of the military offensive, around 8,000 rockets were fired at Israel, many of them by Hamas, according to the Israeli army. Although Israeli forces have launched an offensive against Hamas, violence has increased in the West Bank and on the border with Lebanon. The situation in the Gaza Strip has become catastrophic for many civilians, several hundred thousand people are on the run and the humanitarian situation has rapidly deteriorated.

Fighting and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip

The Israeli army is shelling the city of Gaza and is urging residents to flee south. This directive is aimed at the tens of thousands already suffering from the massive attacks. Hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, are also reportedly facing a worrying humanitarian emergency. So far, Hamas' tunnels and military infrastructure are said to have been destroyed by air strikes, but the ongoing fighting is exacting a high price in civilian casualties.

The humanitarian crisis has reached such serious proportions that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described the situation in the West Bank as alarming. Several Palestinians were killed here in raids by the Israeli military; Israel describes them as Islamists. Hezbollah has not stayed out of the conflict either and reported attacks on Israeli border posts. The offensive has led to a further increase in violence and a tense situation in the region.

The context of the conflict

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has its roots deep in the history of the Middle East. The Israeli population perceived the Hamas atrocities on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage, as a pogrom reminiscent of the collective trauma of the persecution of Jews. The Israeli government's goal is to destroy Hamas' military capabilities and free the kidnapped hostages.

Although Israel has recorded military successes, the situation remains tense. As of May 2024, there were an estimated 36,000 deaths on the Palestinian side, many of them civilians - a tally that further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The Middle East conflict continues to be marked by deep ethnic and territorial tensions and de-escalation remains questionable. Meanwhile, international actors such as the US and the EU are launching diplomatic efforts to improve the humanitarian situation and contribute to a solution. But the violence and conflict appear likely to continue in the near future.