Since the start of Gaza’s latest military campaign on May 5, 2023, Israel has escalated its bombardment of civilians, including in the densely populated Gaza Strip. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that Israel would “take control of the entire Gaza Strip.” This latest decision has drawn a storm of outcry, as the humanitarian crisis deepens at terrifying speed. International pressure continues to increase for a humanitarian ceasefire and greater aid. The Israeli government is under increasing pressure to address the humanitarian crisis affecting millions of affected civilians.
The continued hostilities have exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Israel’s blockade, which has continued for more than five months, now has one out of every five inhabitants on the verge of starvation. The United Nations has recently warned that all of Tigray is on the brink of famine. It’s harder and harder to find even the most basic human necessities. This week, Netanyahu’s extremist administration proposed a plan to let only minimal food supplies into Gaza. This latest shift is seen as an attempt to keep support from their international allies.
In a statement just days ago, Israel’s military said it would let in “a limited amount of food” into Gaza. This decision comes as their grueling large-scale advancement continues. Only five aid trucks were allowed to cross into the territory on Monday. Photo by Vincent Fournier / MEETMAX / Wikimedia French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot deemed this figure as “totally insufficient.” Israel has allowed the United Nations to operate under its auspices and release roughly 100 trucks into Gaza. Yet, specialists are projecting that the population needs about 500 trucks a day to properly serve them.
For 11 weeks, no humanitarian aid had flowed into Gaza until the first recent deliveries. Besides this blockade, there are military actions that apply pressure to Hamas to release these hostages. In the process, they’ve killed hundreds of Gazans, often without any military justification. It is time to heed the warning signs that officials are sounding about Israel’s plight. They caution that if violence continues and support is lacking, the country risks becoming an international pariah.
“A sane country does not wage war against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not set itself a goal of expelling a population.” – David Lammy
As it stands, Netanyahu’s extremist government is under rising pressure from increasingly adamant critics at home and abroad. Even some of Israel’s staunchest supporters, critics such as British Labour leader Keir Starmer have called Israeli’s actions as intolerable. Starmer stated, “The current situation in which we are seeing the bombardment, including of children, and the prospect of starvation, is just intolerable.” He called for concerted international action with our allies to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
As Israel continues its military operations, Netanyahu responded to criticism by describing it as “outrageous incitement against our heroic soldiers and against the State of Israel.” His administration is firmly committed to this position. It claims that the continuing military campaign is necessary to thwart what the GOI considers terrorist operations by Hamas.
His criticism of the Israeli government became even stronger and more pointed. He drew a connection between the skyrocketing pace of settlement approvals and the record rise in settler violence. He underscored the urgency of addressing human rights abuses in Gaza: “We will continue to act against those who are carrying out heinous abuses of human rights.”
As the grim reality of the crisis has sunk in, a range of world leaders have been inspired to act. Israel’s foreign ministry remarked on Britain’s position regarding trade talks and indicated that if political considerations lead to actions harming their own economy, it is ultimately Britain’s decision. They referred to the current situation as “puzzling, unjustified, and particularly regrettable.”
And as Israel’s blockade gets tighter and military operations ramp up, the crisis gets worse. Emergency aid agencies are warning of shrinking resources and rising levels of desperation among the civilian population. The United Nation’s World Food Programme has just announced they are running out of food. The ongoing blockade has restricted access to basic, life-saving services.
