The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is worsening by the hour. In reaction, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to delay a key vote on all-out military operation into the area until next week. Reports coming out of Gaza’s health ministry are terrifying. Nearly 900,000 children are on the brink of starvation with at least 70,000 already displaying clear indicators of malnutrition. All this means the outlook is bleak for Gaza’s 2.1 million inhabitants. They’re on the frontlines of food insecurity—unable to obtain affordable, healthy food.
Gaza’s civilian population is suffering from extreme levels of hunger and malnutrition as the war continues to exacerbate shortages of life-saving supplies. A senior member of Hamas’ political bureau, Basem Naim, emphasized the necessity for immediate improvements in conditions, stating, “It is essential to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation significantly and to obtain a written response from the enemy regarding our response.”
Given all of these developments, Netanyahu’s government is considering a range of military reprisals in response to rising tensions with Hamas and the recent abduction of two Israelis. Among strategies currently reportedly under consideration are encirclement of Gaza City and other population centers. There’s the amazing idea of just outright taking and conquering Gaza City. Any foreign military action would require Hamas to accept terms of a ceasefire. As of this writing, Hamas has pulled out of negotiations for a ceasefire/hostage exchange, taking the situation from bad to worse.
Despite the postponement of military decisions, a senior Israeli official indicated that “At the same time, Israel and the United States will work to increase humanitarian aid, while continuing military operations in Gaza.” This dual approach is urgent humanitarian access and continued pressure on Hamas and has been outlined at a high level by President Biden and others.
Hamas is certainly committed to working for a permanent ceasefire. They are calling for an immediate resumption of negotiations as soon as possible aid reaches those affected by the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. They have stated intentions to “engage immediately in negotiations again upon the arrival of aid to those in need and to end the humanitarian crisis and famine in Gaza.” However, they argue that major changes to conditions would need to be made before they are willing to accept a ceasefire agreement.
Speculation around the deal has been swirling. Israel and the US are said to be working out a new agreement on what happens in Gaza. The need for a solution has never been more urgent. Each day that goes by, the worsening humanitarian crisis only compounds the suffering of an already vulnerable population.
