“Will we be abandoned?” Uneasy Gaza Strip and Ukraine | Segye Ilbo

As the Iranian airstrike drew the West’s attention to Israel, the disputed areas of Palestine’s Gaza Strip and Ukraine called on the international community for help.

On the 15th (local time), the Washington Post (WP) and the British Guardian reported that the West’s ‘sympathy’ is turning towards Israel and that the war in Gaza and Ukraine is being excluded from the international community’s main agenda.

“We are concerned that Gaza will be abandoned,” said Tania Hari, executive director of Gisha, an Israeli non-profit organization (NGO) focused on protecting freedom of movement for Gaza residents. Although the crisis could not be resolved meaningfully, (even this) occurred due to pressure from the international community. “The world cannot afford to turn a blind eye because so many lives (in the Gaza Strip) are at risk,” he criticized.

When seven employees of the international relief organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) died in an airstrike by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip on the 1st, the United States put pressure on Israel for a ceasefire, saying it would stop providing aid. Israel appeared to take a step back, approving the opening of additional humanitarian routes six months after the war. However, the Guardian reported that the measures are not being implemented properly, saying, “The United Nations, which currently provides most of the food aid within the Gaza Strip, has not yet been able to use this channel.”

Anxiety is also rising in Ukraine, where war has continued for more than two years. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dritro Kuleba said of the shooting down of an Iranian missile by the United States, Britain and others, “Even if you (the West) cannot act in Israel the way you (the West) act, give us (Ukraine) what we need and we will do the rest.” “I will do it,” he said. This means that additional military support from the West, including weapons, is needed.

However, the West appears reluctant to support Ukraine. This is because if Russia is provoked, conflict, such as nuclear war, could intensify. Last February, French President Emmanuel Macron brought up the theory of sending troops to Ukraine at a press conference at an international conference on support for Ukraine held in Paris, France, saying that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and others should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine, but the United States and Germany immediately denied this and took the initiative. has been drawn. In the United States, a budget bill to support Israel and Ukraine is scheduled to be voted on this week, but it is unclear whether support for Ukraine will be provided due to opposition from hardliners in the Republican Party.

Reporter Lee Min-kyung [email protected]

[ⓒ 세계일보 & Segye.com, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]