Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had far-reaching political and economic consequences. It has, among other things, reshaped Russian-North Korean relations.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the Israel-Palestine war has had its own effects, both in the region and internationally. It has even indirectly but noticeably affected the conflict in Ukraine. Gaza has pushed Ukraine out of the headlines, and it has divided America’s attention and resources between the two wars. It has also altered international politics, as the US went from defending Ukraine, which was widely seen internationally as being a victim, to defending Israel, which is widely seen internationally as responsible for disproportionate civilian casualties and possibly war crimes.
So far, North Korea has mostly stayed out of the war in the Middle East, but Gaza may nevertheless have indirect implications for North Korea. In general, one would expect that the war in Gaza helps Russia, and anything that helps the Russian cause in Ukraine is probably of some benefit to North Korea. Or perhaps more precisely, it is the other side of the equation that matters: anything that hurts Russian efforts in Ukraine and, therefore, weakens Russia’s position will ultimately hurt its erstwhile ally North Korea.
There may also be indirect effects. The increasing use of missiles in the Middle East and the consequent lowering of the threshold for strategic conflict may spread to other regions, including East Asia.
The various cross-over effects may be modest, but that might change if events move in a new direction, for example, if the war in Gaza widens into a multi-front war with other states in the region.