拜登首次表态支持巴以停火，但是……
Palestinians inspect the rubbles of Awqaf building after destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city, May 17, 2021. /CFP
巴以冲突持续升级。
5月16日，以色列再次对加沙地带发动袭击，造成至少42名巴勒斯坦人丧生，其中包括10名儿童，成为本次冲突以来“最致命”的一天。
自5月10日冲突爆发以来，以色列对加沙进行了密集的空袭和炮击。加沙卫生官员称，至少212名巴勒斯坦人在这场冲突中丧生，其中包括61名儿童和36名妇女。以色列也已有10人死亡，其中包括两名儿童。
目前冲突已进入第二周，没有任何停止的迹象，似乎愈演愈烈。以色列总理内塔尼亚胡表示，对加沙的攻击还将继续。
以色列国防军17日晚发表声明说，以军当晚向黎巴嫩境内开炮，作为对黎方向以方发射火箭弹的回应。
The conflict between Israel and Hamas militants is entering its second week with no signs of easing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the army will keep attacking Gaza.
A Palestinian kid, who was injured in Israel's attacks on Gaza, is brought from Rafah border gate to be treated at Arish Hospital in Arish, Egypt, May 17, 2021. /CFP
Israeli air strikes killed at least 42 Palestinians on Sunday making it the deadliest day since violence erupted last Monday.
Israel says it is attacking Hamas targets and underground tunnels that the organization uses to move supplies, although the casualties have been mostly civilians, including women and children.
Hamas has hit back with missiles launched toward Israel, many of which have been intercepted by the Israeli defense system called the Iron Dome.
新冠疫情的影响
密集的空袭和炮击给加沙带来的不仅是安全和人道主义危机，加沙的卫生状况也十分令人担忧。
当地时间17日晚间，巴勒斯坦卫生部证实加沙唯一一所具备新冠病毒检测功能的医学实验室因以军的轰炸被迫中止运行。
这所属于利玛尔医院（Al-Rimal）的实验室原本可提供新冠病毒检测、疫苗注射、远程医疗等服务。在本轮巴以冲突开始之前，该实验室每天能完成约1600例新冠病毒检测。
世界卫生组织总干事谭德赛周一表示，“在任何情况下”，保护医护人员和基础设施都是“必须的”，并对巴以两国在加沙地带不断升级的暴力冲突表示了谴责。
根据世卫组织数据，加沙地带累计有10.3万例新冠肺炎确诊病例，其中超930例因新冠肺炎去世。同时，在加沙200多万居民中，仅有约12.2万人接种了新冠疫苗。
由于人口稠密，医疗物资短缺，当地新冠病毒检测阳性率达28%，为全球新冠病毒检测阳性率最高的区域之一。
The protection of health workers and infrastructure is "imperative in all circumstances" the World Health Organization chief said Monday, condemning the escalating violence between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza. /Getty Images
The protection of health workers and infrastructure is "imperative in all circumstances," the World Health Organization chief said Monday, condemning the escalating violence between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that in addition to deep concerns over the security and humanitarian crisis, "the health situation is also highly concerning."
"In the recent escalation of conflict, dozens of incidents involving health workers and health facilities have occurred," he told reporters.
"Furthermore, COVID-19 testing and vaccination has been severely impacted," he said, cautioning that "this creates health risks for the world as a whole."
"Health workers and infrastructure should always be protected and I call for leaders on all sides to ensure respect for these vital humanitarian laws."
The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed on Monday that the only medical laboratory in Gaza capable of COVID-19 testing had been shut down due to Israeli shelling.
拜登首次表态支持巴以停火
美国总统拜登17日在与以色列总理内塔尼亚胡通话时首次表态支持巴以双方实现停火。
白宫当天发表声明称，拜登表示，以色列应尽一切努力保护无辜平民。拜登重申对以色列自卫权的坚定支持，双方还讨论了以色列在加沙对巴勒斯坦伊斯兰抵抗运动（哈马斯）等组织实施军事行动的进展。
这是拜登近一周以来第三次与内塔尼亚胡通话。另据美国务院消息，国务卿布林肯当天与突尼斯、约旦、以色列等国外长通话讨论巴以冲突问题。
Smoke and flame rise during Israeli air strikes, as cross-border violence between the Israeli military and Hamas militants continues, in Gaza City, May 14, 2021. /Reuters
这也是拜登首次表态支持巴以停火。此前一天，多名民主党参议员发表联合声明，要求巴以冲突双方立即停火，以防止更多平民伤亡和冲突进一步升级。
然而与此同时，《华盛顿邮报》独家爆出，拜登政府已经批准向以色列出售价值7.35亿美元的精确制导武器。
The U.S. President Joe Biden, in a call with Netanyahu on Monday, expressed his support for a ceasefire, the White House said.
The official statement on the call did not refer to any response by Netanyahu to Biden's comments.
"The President expressed his support for a ceasefire and discussed U.S. engagement with Egypt and other partners towards that end," the White House said.
Biden "encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians," the White House said.
"The President reiterated his firm support for Israel's right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks," it said.
At the same time, the Washington Post reported that the Biden administration had approved a $735 million sale of precision-guided weapons to Israel.
5月17日，外交部发言人赵立坚在例行记者会上表示，绝大多数安理会成员针对当前巴以局势发出了共同的声音，大家都呼吁立即停火，防止爆发全面危机。大家都要求保护平民，避免更大的伤亡。大家都坚持政治解决，呼吁巴以双方尽早在两国方案基础上恢复和谈。大家也都认为安理会应发出一致声音，公正推进巴以和谈进程，努力推动巴以两国实现和平共处。
“我们敦促美国承担应尽责任，采取公正立场，和国际社会大多数成员一道，支持安理会为推动缓和局势、重建信任、政治解决发挥应有作用，”赵立坚说。