As the researcher said, we have witnessed a very intense Israeli counter-attack on the Gaza Strip after the terrorist attack on October 7,
and the humanitarian situation in Gaza is critical.
Hamas terrorists have entrenched themselves in various tunnel systems in the proximity of schools, hospitals and other civilian facilities, and the civilian population is unable to leave the closed zone in the south, not being allowed to flee to Egypt, said Meszar Tarik adding that many people are now heading north, after Israeli forces announced that they will focus on the southern part of the Strip in the coming months.
On Israel having to face various militant groups, terrorist organisations and multiple Iranian-backed militias at the same time, the researcher said that this is a very complex and major problem. As he explained, there have now been attempts to bomb Israel from Iraq, for example, but these missiles have been intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
This is a multi-front war, which is why the international community needs to help. The United States has destroyed Houthi ships on the Red Sea in the last few days,
he recalled. The best way to eliminate these militant organizations, according to the researcher, is to cut off their funding, which is the main aim of the war, and a goal both Israel and the United States are doing a lot to achieve.
On the issue of terrorist recruitment, the researcher said that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are growing up in very difficult conditions, young people are full of hatred and are easily radicalized, making it easy for Hamas and other terrorist organisations to recruit.
Commenting on the intense role of the Houthis, the leading researcher noted that a growing number of people are concerned about why these militant groups are attacking and threatening global supply chains.
Yemen is currently facing an economic crisis and the Houthis control a large part of the territory. Despite the crisis, these attacks have managed to forge unity in the country, distracting people from the domestic problems.
These events fit right in with Iran's geopolitical interests, so Iran is likely to be closely involved in the attacks. Iran is also actively supporting these terrorist organizations financially, to the tune of around $100 million a year, according to the CIA's evidence. However, the expert says that Iran will not engage openly in a war with Israel, but are battling through proxies.
In conclusion, regarding the future of the Gaza Strip and Palestinians, Meszar Tarik said that everything depends on how Israeli party politics develops. If Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer prime minister, the Israeli position may change. International will, including the United States and European countries, is calling for a two-state solution in the long term. And that can only happen if the terrorist organizations are eradicated, according to the senior researcher at the Eurasia Center and the Migration Research Institute.
Cover photo: Palestinians view rubble after an Israeli airstrike hits the Maghazi Palestinian refugee camp in central Gaza Strip on December 25, 2023 (Photo: MTI/EPA/Mohamed Saber)
