Gaza Conflict Prevention: How Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq Aim to Stop Regional War

Gaza Conflict Prevention

Three Middle Eastern countries: Stopping the Gaza conflict is the key to preventing the escalation of war in the entire region

On September 25, 2023, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq condemned Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, urging an end to hostilities to prevent regional escalation. This statement followed a significant attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and numerous hostages. In response, Israel intensified its military operations against Hezbollah, citing security threats.

At the same time, airstrikes in Gaza led to a reported 41,496 fatalities and 96,000 injuries, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry. Amidst the ongoing violence, Hamas has called for UN intervention but has refused to negotiate a ceasefire. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as a “nightmare,” warning of potential regional collapse and dire global consequences if escalation continues.

Key Concepts

• Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq condemned Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, urging for an end to hostilities.
• The foreign ministers of the three nations called for UN intervention to halt the ongoing conflict.
• Israel escalated its military campaign against Hezbollah due to security concerns from rocket attacks.
• The escalation followed a major Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in significant casualties.
• Israeli airstrikes and ground offensives in Gaza have led to a reported high number of fatalities and injuries.
• Recent airstrikes in central Gaza caused additional casualties, emphasizing the need for international action.
• Hamas has urged the UN to intervene but refuses to engage in ceasefire negotiations.
• Both Hamas and Hezbollah remain committed to the destruction of Israel and are funded by Iran.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation in Gaza as a “nightmare” threatening regional stability.
• Guterres warned that Lebanon is on the brink of collapse, with potentially dire consequences for the region and beyond.

Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq said on Wednesday (September 25) that “Israeli aggression in Gaza” needed to be stopped to prevent a dangerous escalation in the region.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the foreign ministers of the three countries also condemned Israel’s military operations in Lebanon, saying Israel is “pushing the entire region towards a full-scale war.”

They also called on the UN Security Council and the international community to take action to stop the war.

Israel has intensified its campaign against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, citing the need to allow residents of northern Israel to return to their homes after fleeing Hezbollah’s rocket attacks over the past year.

The day after Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, Lebanon’s Hezbollah also launched an attack on Israel.

At least 41,496 people have been killed and 96,000 injured in Israel’s ground offensive and air strikes, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its statistics.

Rescuers found the bodies of four people killed in an Israeli air strike in and around a refugee camp in central Gaza on Wednesday.

Three bodies were recovered from a car that was attacked near the camp, while a fourth was found in the rubble of a home inside the camp, where Israeli airstrikes killed at least 11 people.

Hamas said in a statement Tuesday that it expected “immediate action” from the United Nations to end the war in Gaza.

“We demand immediate action to stop Israel’s aggression and war,” Hamas said in a statement to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

However, the Palestinian militant group also said it would not participate in new ceasefire talks, saying it would not waver in its position of “opposing participation in new negotiations that would provide cover for (Israel) to continue its aggression.”

Hezbollah and Hamas, both Iran-funded groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States and other countries, have vowed to destroy the Jewish state of Israel.

In a speech on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Gaza “an endless nightmare that threatens to engulf the entire region.”

“We should all be alarmed by this escalation. Lebanon is on the brink of collapse. The Lebanese people, the Israeli people, and the people of the world cannot afford for Lebanon to become another Gaza,” Guterres said at the opening of the annual UN General Assembly session.