International pressure builds on Israel over Gaza

UK, France, Canada threaten sanctions if Israel continues new offensive and blocks aid as Netanyahu vows to ‘take control of the entire Gaza Strip’

Israel initiated a new and severe ground offensive in Gaza over the weekend, coinciding with US President Donald Trump's departure from the region without finalizing a ceasefire or a hostage agreement. The Israeli military reported that its forces advanced into northern and southern Gaza as part of the operation named 'Gideon’s Chariots,' which Israel indicated would proceed if Hamas did not consent to a new hostage arrangement on its terms. This ground operation followed several days of intense airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, which local health authorities claim have resulted in the destruction of entire families. Israel has stated it will permit a 'basic amount of food' into the besieged enclave, a decision that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested was influenced by significant pressure from allies. On Monday, the Israeli agency responsible for approving aid shipments to Gaza announced that five trucks had entered the enclave. However, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher characterized this delivery as 'limited' and merely a 'drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.' Concurrently, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada issued threats on Monday to implement 'concrete actions,' including targeted sanctions, if Israel does not cease its renewed military offensive and continues to obstruct aid from reaching Gaza. These recent developments follow the commencement of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday. Israel has been warning for weeks about the 'Gideon’s Chariots' operation, asserting that it aims to fulfill 'all the objectives of the war in Gaza,' which include defeating Hamas and ensuring the release of remaining hostages in the region. The operation received approval from the country’s Security Cabinet on May 5, as previously reported by a senior security official to CNN, who noted that, unlike in previous instances, the military intends to maintain control over the areas it captures. On Monday, Netanyahu stated that Israel aims to 'take control of the entire Gaza Strip.' The conflicting parties were unable to finalize an agreement during Trump's visit last week, while Israel continued its military operations over the weekend. This escalation commenced with a series of significant airstrikes last week, followed by an intensified ground offensive on Sunday. The Israeli military reported on Sunday that, in the past week, it had targeted over 670 'Hamas positions' in a preliminary wave of airstrikes throughout the region. On early Monday, Israeli forces targeted a medical supplies warehouse at the Nasser Medical Complex in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, resulting in damage to some medical supplies provided by Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), as reported by the UK-based organization. Health officials in Gaza indicated on Monday that the ongoing operation had resulted in at least 136 fatalities within the last 24 hours, and had closed the last operational hospital in the northern part of the enclave. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that entire families were killed while they slept. Since Thursday, more than 400 individuals have lost their lives and over 1,000 have sustained injuries, according to a CNN tally based on health ministry statistics. The ministry also stated that since the onset of Israel's military campaign on October 7, 2023, over 53,000 individuals have died in Gaza, with the majority being women and children.

The situation regarding aid to Gaza is concerning. On Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that, due to operational necessities, Israel would permit a limited quantity of food to enter Gaza to avert famine in the region, which Israel claims could threaten its military operations. Netanyahu has suggested that Israel risks losing the backing of its closest allies, including the United States, if it does not lift its 11-week blockade on the area, which has intensified the humanitarian crisis that aid organizations warn could result in widespread famine. The United Nations has cautioned that the entire population of Gaza, exceeding 2.1 million individuals, is at risk of famine following 19 months of conflict and mass displacement. Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have urged the Israeli government to halt its military actions in Gaza and permit the entry of humanitarian assistance. A joint statement from these leaders indicated that if Israel does not stop its renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, they will consider implementing further concrete measures in response, which may include targeted sanctions. In response, Netanyahu accused the leaders of providing a significant incentive to the Hamas fighters responsible for the attacks on Israel on October 7, suggesting that this could lead to more such atrocities. Additionally, a separate joint statement from foreign ministers of 23 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, along with EU representatives, called on Israel to allow an immediate and full resumption of aid into Gaza and to enable the UN and humanitarian organizations to operate independently and impartially to save lives. The statement emphasized that while there are signs of a limited resumption of aid, Israel had blocked humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza for over two months, leading to a depletion of food, medicines, and essential supplies, putting the population at risk of starvation. It stressed the urgent need for Gaza's people to receive the aid they critically require. Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu acknowledged that if a "famine situation" were to develop in Gaza, Israel would "not receive international support." He stated, "Even our closest allies, including US senators with whom I have personal relationships and who have been unwavering supporters of Israel for many years, are approaching me with concerns. They express their commitment to providing us with the necessary support for victory—military aid, assistance in our efforts to dismantle Hamas, and protection at the UN Security Council. However, they emphasize one critical point: we cannot accept images of widespread starvation. Should that occur, our support will be withdrawn," Netanyahu conveyed in a statement shared on Telegram. His remarks were primarily directed at reassuring his right-wing base, who strongly oppose any humanitarian aid entering Gaza, even for civilians. When inquired about the timeline for aid to commence in the enclave, Netanyahu's office responded that "it will occur in the near future. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 individuals in Gaza are at risk of starvation due to the exacerbation of the food crisis caused by Israel's humanitarian blockade, which has been in effect since March 2. The entire population of 2.1 million is experiencing significant food insecurity, as reported by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization supported by the United States and tasked with providing aid to the region, expressed its approval of Israel's announcement permitting food aid as a temporary solution until the organization becomes fully operational. The foundation is set to implement a new, strictly regulated system for aid distribution that has received approval from both Israel and the US, aimed at preventing Hamas from misappropriating the aid. The UN cautioned that since the initial distribution points will be located only in southern and central Gaza, this may be interpreted as supporting Israel's publicly declared objective of relocating 'the entire Gazan population' from northern Gaza, as stated by Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier this month. Jake Wood, the executive director of the foundation, mentioned that Israel has also consented to the establishment of two sites in northern Gaza, which he anticipates can be operational within the first 30 days of the foundation's activities.

Wood informed CNN that he is currently unaware of the timing or the number of aid trucks that Israel will permit into Gaza, and he believes that much of the humanitarian community's resistance to the mechanism stems from misinformation.