RAMALLAH/GAZA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The war between Israel and Iran has deepened the anxieties of Palestinians, who already navigate the shadows of conflict, scarcity, and daily security checks.
In the West Bank, skies once again bristle with tension as hundreds of missiles and drones streak toward Israel. Soon after Israel launched strikes on Iran, the occupying authorities closed several checkpoints around Nablus, delaying workers and restricting movement.
Mohammed Nubani, 52, a taxi driver and father of seven, told Xinhua that the closures "doubled the pressure on people already facing difficult economic conditions."
In Hebron, merchant Mohammed al-Ja'bari watched as nightly mobile checkpoints multiplied at the city's entrances. "Many families canceled daily outings and limited purchases of essentials, fearing they could be stranded," he said.
In Gaza, the escalation took a quieter but no less severe form. On Saturday evening, Israeli authorities announced that all crossings, including Rafah, would remain closed "until further notice," citing security concerns. For the territory's two million residents, already suffocating under years of blockade, the announcement was another twist in an enduring noose.
In the Shati refugee camp, grocer Abu Khaled Darwish watched customers stream in with anxious eyes. "People are buying more than usual, fearing shortages, especially as Ramadan progresses," he said. Shelves emptied quickly, and prices for sugar, oil, rice, and vegetables surged. Rumors circulated of merchants hoarding goods, exploiting fear for profit.
Om Alaa Nassar, a housewife from Deir al-Balah, waited in line for flour while her children stayed home. "We hear about rockets and wars abroad, but our battle here is with high prices and food shortages," she said, exhaustion etched into her face. "We fear the closure will continue, leaving us without flour or gas… We try to buy only what we need, but prices change daily, and aid does not reach all families in need."
Gaza-based political analyst Wissam Afifa offered a sobering assessment. "Any open war with Iran could shift the priorities of the U.S. administration, affecting international attention to Gaza and the West Bank," he said, warning that Israel might use the situation to tighten security or delay political obligations.
In a region bracing for fire from afar, Palestinians remain among the most vulnerable, caught between distant thunder and the grinding weight of a blockade that seems never lifted. ■
