Concerns grow that the Israel-Hamas war could expand

As the war between Hamas and Israel continues into its third week, fears are growing that rising tensions throughout the rest of the Middle East could erupt.

“The biggest fear is that the people from the north, which is the Lebanese border, we fear Hezbollah will join this fight, and then it’s going to go south,” says Yoram Abisror, the executive director of the Atlantic Jewish Council.

Some don’t expect that to happen.

“They are already in financial straits in Lebanon,” says Giles Crouch, a digital anthropologist.

“The citizens don’t want this war, Palestinians don’t want this war, they want a settled agreement. So I think there is more interest toward finding a peaceful settlement to this then there is a global conflict.”

Like Hamas, Canada lists Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The Iranian backed, Lebanon based group is a Shiite Muslim political party.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since the war began. Hezbollah has said those battles will escalate if Israel sends ground troops into Gaza.

That’s a move Israeli Defense Forces have said they will do to achieve their main goal.

“That means Hamas will be gone. For us, the Israeli government has made it very, very clear this threat cannot continue to stay in the area. That means they have to eliminate Hamas,” Abisror says.

Still, fears remain that this war could spill over to the rest of the Middle East. As a precaution, Ottawa is urging Canadians to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.

“The war is with Hamas, only with Hamas. We don’t have war with anybody, the Palestinians are not part of it. Sometimes we feel they’re part of it, the rhetoric, the talking, the demonstration that we see here in town,” says Abisror.

Palestinian officials claim Israeli attacks have killed more than 6,500 people in Gaza and wounded more than 17,400. Israeli authorities put their death toll at 1,400 with more than 5,400 injured since Hamas’s attack.