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Analysis

BICOM Briefing | A new Gaza Crisis?

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Three years since the last conflict between Israel and armed groups in Gaza, tensions between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA) and an energy scarcity crisis have escalated an already tense situation. Though neither Israel nor Hamas appear to be interested in another conflict, the situation in Gaza remains delicately poised.

BICOM’s research team has produced a briefing evaluating the current risk of another conflict in Gaza, the policies of Israel and Hamas, what another round of fighting might look like and what the UK can do to prevent it.

Key points

  • The risk of new fighting between Israel and Hamas is increasing as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip deteriorates, but could be prevented or delayed by urgent international steps to address electricity, water and sewage infrastructure.
  • The dire situation has been exacerbated by PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to reduce financial commitment to Gaza’s public services, including reducing payments for electricity supplied by Israel. It may also be impacted by pressure on Qatar from other Sunni Arab states to reduce support for Hamas.
  • Israel remains in a dilemma, on the one hand wanting to alleviate a humanitarian crisis and prevent another conflict, whilst also wanting to avoid providing vital resources to Hamas, to maintain deterrence, and to secure the return of Israeli captives.

The full briefing is available as a PDF below.

This briefing is part of a series of research and interviews BICOM has published on the current situation in Gaza. See the rest of our Gaza research here.

 

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