Britain, France and Canada call out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s massive escalation of war in Gaza as a race against time is underway with 14,000 Gaza babies at risk if no aid gets through
Deadly overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza have already killed scores of Palestinians – more than 50 by midday today as the horror war rages on. Now the UK has finally called for an end to the devastation, along with France and Canada, demanding an end to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu ’s “monstrous” attacks on the Strip.
Already among the victims of today’s carnage, which is escalating by the hour, has killed several women and even a week-old infant according to reports from within. The death toll is mounting by the hour. Desperate Palestinians are forced to transport bodies and injured on donkeys and carts as the more than two million-strong population faces starvation. With their bare hands locals are being forced to scrabble for the injured among the rubble of Gaza’s ruined communities.
Why has Britain finally called out Netanyahu?
Both PM Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary and colleagues are horrified by the lack of aid getting into Gaza, with the UN claiming 14,000 children face starvation within days without aid. As many as 9,000 crucial aid trucks are stuck at Gaza’s border and around 500 a-day are needed daily to sustain Palestinians within the Strip.
So far just five have made it into the Strip. And yet Netanyahu’s war is escalating by the hour as his government this week warned of an ‘unprecedented attack’ on Khan Younis, forcing thousands yet again to flee. But with fighting raging throughout Gaza it is difficult to see how the aid can successfully be controlled and distributed as medics battle to save lives and the killing continues.
How desperate is the situation on the ground?
No significant aid has entered the Strip for a staggering 81 days, with most surviving on one meal a-day and significant risk to thousands of children. The Israeli aid blockade on Gaza shows little sign of relaxing and means food and medical supplies are running out.
According to people inside Israel began allowing dozens of humanitarian trucks into Gaza on Tuesday, but the aid has not yet reached Palestinians in desperate need. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said aid workers were not able to bring it to distribution points where it is most needed, after the Israeli military forced them to reload the supplies onto separate trucks and workers ran out of time.
So far 65 aid trucks have moved from the Israel side of the crossing to the Palestinian side, but have not made it into Gaza. Hospitals are desperately short of crucial supplies of medication and terrified locals are seeking shelter wherever they can find it, exhausted and forced to move on by the hours.
What is the Israeli military doing in Gaza?
Israel has warned of an ‘unprecedented attack’ in areas such as Khan Younis in the belief that the military can attempt to wipe out Hamas diehards hiding in buildings and rubble. Large numbers of reserves have been called up and Israeli Merkava main battle tanks are gathering once again at the border for an escalation in fighting.
The major fear is that the airstrikes are worsening and becoming increasingly less discriminate and chaotic, although Israel claims they are deliberate and targeted. Undercover Israeli forces dressed as civilians and posing as refugees have launched covert ground attacks to assassinate single militants within the Strip.
This has added to confusion under the cover of near-constant bombardments and it has also stirred up suspicion among the population. An escalation of military action throughout the Strip means the UK government fears further delays in getting crucial aid into the Palestinian enclave. But the assault is expanding despite calls from the UK and elsewhere for an immediate ceasefire.
How has Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the UK?
So far he remains defiant even though the UK is considering imposing sanctions on its Israeli ally in a bid to stop the violence in Gaza. Worryingly there has been no sign of the Israeli military calling a halt to its escalation in the war on Hamas, putting at risk more civilian deaths.
The UK this week suspended free trade talks with Israel over its 11-week block on humanitarian aid reaching starving Palestinians. It follows warnings of a deepening starvation crisis in Gaza after Israel launched a new military operation over the weekend. Foreign secretary David Lammy described the situation in the Palestinian enclave as “monstrous” and said Mr Netanyahu’s actions were “wholly disproportionate” and “utterly counterproductive.”
How many have died in the Gaza war?
As many as 1,200 died in the October 7 attacks by Hamas and other groups, with a further 250 kidnapped and dragged back into the Strip. Netanyahu argues the military is trying to force Hamas to release the 59 hostages who remain in the Strip, of which only 21 are believed to be alive.
More than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, confirmed by the local health authorities although a further 11,000 are missing, believed dead, under rubble. Although some believe these figures are propaganda, despite the hourly horror imagery coming out the war, Gaza’s official toll figures in previous wars have not been disputed after they end. Culturally Gazan officials keep painstaking records and despite the propaganda claims it is believed the death count may be much higher once the war ends.
The war has triggered conflicts after attacks from Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemeni Houthis, plus other Iran -=backed groups and in the West Bank hundreds have also died.
What about another ceasefire?
Hamas is refusing to give up arms and Israel’s government want to wipe out the militant group, fearing further attacks and believing this is the time to end the militancy. A ceasefire in January largely held but was shattered after it ended and negotiators failed to reach an agreement on a further deal.
On March 18 Israel started attacking again and it seems the war momentum cannot be stopped – unless there is an intervention by the US government. The coming days may see America becoming more involved, possibly affecting Netanyahu’s proclaimed ambition of controlling the entire Strip.