Gazans fearful of new conflict with Israel over Sheikh Jarrah violence

Gaza Strip - Gazans have been closely following Israeli violations against Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, expressing "fears" that the violence may escalate and reach the besieged strip, as it did in May 2021.

Israeli violations against the neighbourhood's Palestinian residents have seen an uptick over the last few days, and have included attempts to expel families from their homes and arrest dozens of locals. 

Jewish settlers have also been attacking locals and their properties in an attempt to provoke a response.

Speaking to The New Arab, locals in Gaza said that the current situation was "similar" to that of last year, which eventually led to a bloody military escalation.

Israel launched a 11-day military campaign on the Gaza Strip on 10 May, after some rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza in response to Israeli attacks and violations at the Al Aqsa Mosque in the West Bank. 

Israeli warplanes carried out hundreds of air raids on the Gaza Strip, home to nearly two million people. At the same time, Palestinian armed factions in Gaza fired dozens of rockets into Israel.

Gazans hope for peace, prosperity in 2022 after Israel's May offensivehttps://t.co/R2vYYd4mZy

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) December 29, 2021

Gaza resident Aisha al-Masri told The New Arab that she was worried about witnessing another escalation with Israel, mainly because she lost two of her siblings and her house in the last war. 

"Mostly we (civilians) are the victims of the Israeli wars," the 35-year-old mother of four said. "The Palestinian factions will eventually agree to a cease-fire with [Israel] but only after we lose so much, including loved ones and properties."

Ehab al-Rasy, another Gaza resident, expressed his fear of experiencing a new Gaza-Israel conflict in the besieged coastal enclave soon amid the armed Palestinian faction's threats to Israel that they will not stay silent in the face of violations in Sheikh Jarrah. 

"Unfortunately, Israel does not respect the Egypt-brokered understandings and agreements with the Palestinians, which means we may come back to the same conflict in the upcoming days or weeks," the father-of-six said. 

Itamar Ben-Gvir says that opening a parliamentary office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood will offer "protection to settlers" https://t.co/v6PvvQh1DS

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) February 13, 2022

Mohammed al-Hindi, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, has threatened that a confrontation with Israel would expand soon if Israel did not stop its "continued crimes" against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.