U.S. State Department: The Islamic Republic Remains the Biggest Driver of Conflicts in Gaza

On Monday, May 6, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated in a daily press conference that the Islamic Republic is one of the biggest drivers of conflict in Gaza and has played a significant role in regional instability. Matthew Miller, in response to a question about the role of the Islamic Republic in ending the Gaza war, said, 'I see no role for the Iranian government in ending the Gaza conflict; rather, the Islamic Republic has primarily been one of the biggest instigators of this conflict.' He emphasized that 'we have not seen any constructive role from the Islamic Republic' in resolving Gaza's issues, adding, 'Iranian officials have significantly contributed to regional instability through financing Hamas and supporting this group, as well as funding and supporting Hezbollah and other proxy groups, and by aiding the Houthis, they have also jeopardized international shipping and global trade.' The ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, which has lasted about seven months, began with an attack by the Iran-backed Hamas group on southern Israel on October 7 of last year; an attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians, by Hamas forces and their allies. They also took over 230 people hostage, including young children and the elderly. During a one-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last January, about one hundred hostages were exchanged for a number of Palestinian prisoners, but around 130 hostages remain captive by Hamas, with uncertainty about how many of them are alive. Hamas officials announced on Monday, May 6, that they have accepted a ceasefire proposal in the Gaza war; however, Israel has not yet responded to this acceptance, and no details of the agreement have been released. John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, stated that Washington is reviewing Hamas's response and consulting with its regional partners about it. Meanwhile, the Association of Families of Hostages held by Hamas has urged the Israeli government to take all necessary actions to free the remaining hostages and not return from negotiations in Qatar 'without an agreement.' The UN Secretary-General also expressed concern about Israel's imminent large-scale operations in Rafah in a message on social media, reiterating the need to protect civilian lives. Antonio Guterres also urged Israeli and Hamas officials to reach an agreement as soon as possible to stop the conflict. The Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday that Israel's ground invasion of Rafah would expose 600,000 children sheltering in the area to 'disastrous risks.' Catherine Russell stated, 'If large-scale military operations begin, children in this area, who are already psychologically and physically weakened, will be at greater risk of violence, chaos, and further terror.' According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, a diplomatic delegation from this country will head to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on Tuesday to resume indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Hamas accepted the ceasefire proposal hours after Israel's warning. The White House stated that Netanyahu agreed in discussions with Biden to keep the 'Karem Shalom' crossing open for humanitarian aid. Israel began airstrikes shortly after ordering the evacuation of parts of Rafah city. The Houthis of Yemen issued a new threat: 'We will target Israeli ships in the Mediterranean.' American lawmakers reacted to the threat of an Iranian attack on Israel, emphasizing the need to avoid the expansion of the war. An Iraqi group backed by Tehran claims to have launched several missiles at Israel.