Middle east 2025.05.10 | Daily Situation

1. Introduction / Background 

Israel has intensified military operations in Gaza, with plans approved by the Israeli Security Cabinet to expand and hold ground in Gaza, potentially leading to full military occupation. Over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza amid a severe humanitarian crisis, with Israel imposing a blockade that has blocked humanitarian aid for over two months, exhausting food supplies. As of now, Hamas continues to hold around 59 Israeli hostages in Gaza, with families and international actors calling for their release. The conflict's expansion raises fears for the hostages' safety. 

Health organizations have alleged that more than 3,000 humanitarian aid trucks are currently stranded near the border due to the Israeli blockade. As a result, more than 1.1 million children in Gaza are currently facing daily malnutrition, and more than 65,000 children have been hospitalized due to severe malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

2. Key Highlights – Israel Hamas war updates

• Killed 52,653
• Injured 118,897
• Home Destroyed

3. Governments’ Response

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Givr has publicly demanded a complete stop to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, highlighting Israel's policy of starvation and genocide against Palestinian civilians. Ben-Givr called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers to reverse the decision to renew aid to Gaza during the next Cabinet meeting, which he voted against in the previous session.

4. Military Developments

Israel intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, where the Houthi group continues to target Israel despite a ceasefire with the United States.  

Violence in Gaza has intensified amid an expanding Israeli buffer zone, with ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants. This escalation continues the broader conflict dynamics in the region.

Sectarian violence and assassinations continue in Syria, with attacks on Alawite communities and regime forces highlighting ongoing instability.

5. Militants’ Activity

According to a joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Israeli Police and the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), Israeli security forces operating in the Nablus area killed Nour Beitawi, the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist network in Jenin.

Beitawi was involved in directing, funding and executing attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces, recruiting and arming militants, and manufacturing and planting explosives in the Jenin area. He maintained contacts with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and abroad. The operation took place in a house in Nablus, where Beitawi had been living since he fled Jenin.

Israel conducted airstrikes on Yemen's Hodeida port, targeting Houthi rebels after a missile strike hit Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

The U.S. Navy maintains two aircraft carriers in the region amid ongoing strikes on Houthi militants, raising concerns about long-term strategic effectiveness.

The Trump administration launched military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and continues to support Israel’s military actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

6. Impact On the Trade and Travel

Attacks on vessels in the Red Sea have led to a drop in traffic, forcing shipping companies to divert routes around the Cape of Good Hope, adding extra transit time and costs.

The World Bank and IMF project that if the crisis is resolved by May 2025, maritime trade growth in the Red Sea region could rebound, but ongoing conflict is currently suppressing trade volumes and economic growth in Middle Eastern countries.

The conflict exacerbates inflation and food insecurity in the region, with countries like Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen facing acute shortages of staples, further straining economies and trade flows.

7. International Response

International experts and humanitarian organizations warn that Israel’s new Gaza military plan, including militarized aid distribution and population displacement, risks implicating humanitarian actors in war crimes and may amount to ethnic cleansing. 

US President Donald Trump has decided to end communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media reports published yesterday, due to concerns that Netanyahu has been manipulating him.

A US-backed mechanism for distributing aid into Gaza should take effect soon, Washington’s ambassador to Israel said on Friday, ahead of President Donald Trump‘s visit to the Middle East, but he gave few details.

8. Comment.

The UN reports that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening, with food, fuel, and medical supplies blocked for nearly two months. The death toll has surpassed 61,700, with thousands missing under rubble.

US, acting as global power role even though several ongoing wars in the world. Through the ceasefire initiative mechanisms, US deliberately acting itself as peacemaker and let other world population to let think the US as and friendly and peaceful nation with the objective of grabbing hearts of world in positive manner even though US aided Israel on US dollar billions for middle east conflicts particularly on Israel Hamas conflict.

9. latest news

US envoy says Trump-backed Gaza aid mechanism to take effect soon, denies rift with Israel