The situation remains fragile in Middle East after the completion of the “first phase” by Hezbollah of the reprisals for the assassination of the leading figure of its military arm, Fouad Shukr, and the “victory” of the Israeli army which, for its part, with precision strikes in southern Lebanon effectively prevented a much wider scale conflict from Hezbollah.

Although diplomatic sources commented that neither side wants a generalized conflict in the Middle East it is not considered improbable that in the future there will be a second phase of reprisals in which either the Houthi who have also warned of retaliation, either Iran, at a time when the negotiations for a truce are at a new impasse.

“Iran does not seek to escalate tensions. However, he is not afraid of her,” the Iranian minister pointed out Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi in a telephone conversation he had with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani, stressing that Tehran’s response to the July 31 killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya will be “specific and calculated”.

At the same time, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Iran, Nasser Kananiin a post on X said that Israel has lost its deterrent power as it was unable to predict the time and place of Hezbollah’s “limited and managed attack”.

“The myth of the invincibility of the Israeli army has long since become an empty slogan. The Israeli terrorist army has lost its effective offensive and deterrent power and must now defend itself against strategic strikes.”

The Israel Defense Forces used 100 fighter jets to strike more than 40 targets inside Lebanon in sorties over a seven-hour period on Sunday. Hezbollah, for its part, launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel.

Order for new Gaza evacuations

At the same time, Israel issued a new evacuation order late Sunday for Deir al-Bala in the central Gaza Strip, forcing other families to be displaced once again.

In recent days, Israel has issued several evacuation orders concerning various areas of Gaza, most since the beginning of the war, which is now in its 11th month. This move by Israel provoked a strong reaction from the Palestinians, the UN and senior aid organizations who denounce the restriction of humanitarian zones and the absence of safe areas in the Palestinian enclave.

In Deir al-Bala due to the Israeli mandate, 250,000 people have been displaced so far.

Besides, at least seven Palestinians were killed today by the Israeli strikes, according to medical sources. Two people died in Deir al-Bala, where about a million people have sought refuge. Another two were killed while at a school in the Nuseirat camp and three more in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

The new evacuation orders forced many families and patients away from al-Aqsa hospital, the largest in Deir al-Bala where hundreds of thousands of displaced people had sought refuge, fearing shelling.

The hospital is located near the area covered by the evacuation order.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a statement to X last night that an explosion that occurred about 250 meters from al-Aqsa hospital caused panic.

Because of this development, MSF is considering whether to stop providing some services at this hospital, continuing only to care for the wounded whose lives are at risk.

Of the approximately 650 patients treated at al-Aqsa, only 100 remain there, including seven in the intensive care unit, the non-governmental organization said, citing the Gaza health ministry.

“This situation is unacceptable. Al Aqsa has been operating well beyond capacity for weeks as patients have had no alternative. All warring parties should respect the hospital as well as patients’ access to medical care,” MSF added.

Diseases are spreading in Gaza

At the same time, waters along parts of Gaza’s Mediterranean coastline have started to turn brown as health experts warn of the spread of sewage and consequently disease across the territory.

Satellite images analyzed by BBC Arabic show sewage has spread from the shores of the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah.

“It’s because of the increase in the number of displaced people and many are connecting their own pipes to the stormwater drainage system,” Abu Yazan Ismail Sarsour, head of Deir al-Ballah’s emergency committee, told BBC Arabic.

Frequent Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the collapse of Gaza’s sewage management infrastructure, the UN said, with aid agencies warning that flows of untreated sewage pose a serious health threat.

Diplomatic impasse

Sawasn Abu Afes said she and her children have now been displaced 11 times.

“I left half my children behind, near my furniture, and now I am with my little ones and my daughter, only God can help us (…) I have no money for transport and I will go to area 17 where the my family on foot. I also took my children and three are left behind. I don’t know where,” he emphasized.

The worsening health situation comes as hopes for an end to the conflict are fading again, as mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the US have failed to bridge differences between Israel and Hamas, which blame each other for the stalemate. .

The Palestinian movement and Israel failed to reach an agreement on the compromise proposals presented to them at talks held in Cairo on Sunday, two Egyptian security sources said.

However, a senior US official described the talks as “constructive”, pointing out that all sides were willing to reach “a final and workable agreement”.

Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official, said the Palestinian organization rejected the new terms set by Israel during the talks, which did not include Hamas. He added that US comments about an impending agreement are false and aimed at serving pre-election purposes.

US President Joe Biden and his administration are facing growing protests inside the US over their support for Israel.