In the wake of Israel’s recent strikes on Iran, international attention has rapidly diverted from the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Within hours of the military operation targeting Tehran, food deliveries across the Gaza Strip halted, and a key Franco-Saudi summit—intended to promote broader recognition of a Palestinian state—was indefinitely postponed.
As headlines shifted to the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, the mounting pressure on Israel to address famine conditions and civilian casualties in Gaza appeared to recede dramatically.
Israel swiftly repositioned Iran as its top strategic concern, pushing the Gaza conflict into the background. This shift was quickly mirrored by diplomatic institutions and global media.
“The violence in Gaza hasn't stopped,” said political analyst Xavier Abu Eid, a former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization. “People are still dying, but now with far less global attention. Israel’s strikes also aim to derail US-Iran negotiations and sideline growing international support for Palestinian rights.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to target Iran's nuclear infrastructure has also helped defuse escalating diplomatic and economic threats from Europe. Several of Israel’s traditional European allies had begun voicing strong objections to the civilian toll in Gaza and rising settler violence in the West Bank.
Even long-standing partnerships with countries like Germany and the Netherlands were showing strain under the pressure of an 11-week blockade in Gaza, repeated civilian massacres near food distribution points, and UN warnings of an impending famine.
Last month, the European Union launched a human rights review of its free trade agreement with Israel. The findings, originally due to be discussed at an upcoming foreign affairs council meeting, could have led to economic leverage against Israel, whose trade with the EU represents over 30% of its total imports and exports.
Additionally, the UK, France, Canada, and Norway recently imposed sanctions on two Israeli ministers for inciting violence against Palestinian civilians—signaling a readiness to escalate diplomatic actions.
The now-delayed Franco-Saudi summit had been expected to boost recognition of Palestinian statehood among major European nations. Washington reportedly issued a rare diplomatic warning discouraging participation in the summit, reflecting the concern within US-Israel circles.
A Western diplomat noted that this military escalation comes “at a time when there were encouraging developments on the diplomatic front,” hinting at the unfortunate timing of the Iran strikes.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the strikes on Iran “must not overshadow Gaza” and reassured that the summit was postponed solely due to security reasons, with plans to reschedule it soon.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. A major communications blackout—caused by damage to essential fibre-optic infrastructure—has plunged large areas into isolation. According to the UN, Israeli authorities have blocked over 20 requests for emergency repair work since April.
The blackout meant that many residents were unaware of new evacuation orders or updates from the Israeli military. They also lacked access to announcements from the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a US- and Israeli-supported initiative attempting to distribute limited food supplies from Israeli-guarded compounds.
GHF stated that it had been instructed to suspend operations temporarily and was awaiting approval from the Israeli Defense Forces to resume aid deliveries. As GHF communicates exclusively via Facebook, many civilians—cut off from the internet—continued approaching distribution centers as usual.
Tragically, gunfire from Israeli soldiers killed at least 15 civilians near one such center on Saturday. An additional seven people were reported killed in overnight strikes, as local health officials confirmed.
Though the frequency of Israeli airstrikes has decreased as military priorities shift toward Iran, the IDF has warned of continued operations in Gaza “with extreme force.” New evacuation orders were issued again on Saturday, compounding the sense of urgency on the ground.
Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif summed up the dire conditions, writing that Gaza is “engulfed in isolation, famine worsening, and death all around.”