Palestinians Lament Gaza's Plight Forgotten Amid US-Iran War

Palestinians have complained that the war in Gaza has been forgotten since the United States and Israel went to war with Iran.

“Since the United States went to war with Iran, the whole world has forgotten Gaza and its tragedy. We no longer have anyone to defend us,” said Ahmed Jamali, 53, a Palestinian from a refugee camp in Gaza where he lives.

“We are weak and oppressed, and Israel does whatever it wants: killing, destroying, and occupying Gaza, while no one in the world does anything,” he said, as quoted by AFP on Saturday (4/7/2026).

The apparent indifference to the Palestinian territories is all the more striking because the region is at the heart of the chain of events that plunged the region into its most dangerous confrontation in decades.

Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 triggered a massive military response in Gaza, drawing in Tehran-backed allies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, and ultimately Iran itself.

What began as a localised war between Israel and Hamas spiralled into a regional conflict and, in turn, a direct confrontation between arch-foes Iran and the US.

More than two and a half years later, Gaza remains mired in a severe humanitarian crisis. Although a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, efforts to truly end the war have stalled for months.

For analysts, this reflects a shift in regional priorities.

“It reflects the declining strategic value of Hamas in Iran’s eyes,” Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations told AFP.

Diplomatic focus has also shifted, with growing international fatigue over Gaza.

“Gaza is gradually fading from international attention,” Lovatt said.