In response to growing international outrage over Israel’s actions in the war, there are at least 62 fatalities, including 19 who were seeking medical attention in Gaza, according to hospital sources.
Since Israel’s invasion of Gaza in October 2023, at least 115 Palestinians have been starved to death in the region, according to the Gaza Health Ministry on Thursday. In recent weeks, many of the deaths, which include many children, have occurred.
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza in March, and it has only allowed a small amount of aid to enter since late May, causing a severe humanitarian crisis and outcry about widespread starvation.
In a statement released on Thursday, the UNRWA warned that “families are disintegrating” as a result of the hunger crisis.
Parental care for their children is a priority, according to agency director Philippe Lazzarini in a post on X. “Those who go to UNRWA clinics lack the energy, food, or tools to follow medical advice.”
Israel has been preventing it from checking the aid waiting at distribution centers, according to the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA.
Hani Mahmoud, a journalist from Gaza City, reported that Palestinians were clamoring for any aid available as the situation was getting worse.
More people reported experiencing malnutrition, a severe, acute shortage of food supplies, and other basic necessities in the Gaza Strip, he said.
People’s immune systems are deteriorating, according to what we hear from health sources. Their bodies are unable to fight the numerous diseases that are spreading, he said.
The world’s condemnation has continued to grow as the situation on the ground has remained largely unchanged.
In a letter sent to European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday, more than 60 MEPs demanded an urgent meeting to push Israel’s actions.
Lynn Boylan, an Irish member of the European Parliament, charged EU leaders with using a double standard when it comes to protecting Palestinian lives in an interview with Al Jazeera.
The elite in the EU, Boylan said, “Clearly, Palestinian lives are not seen as equivalent to, say, Ukrainian lives.”
There is a chilling effect when you dare criticize Israel or call out the war crimes you are witnessing, she said.
In recent days, there has been a rise in outrage among European leaders, with 28 nations calling for an immediate end to the fighting and condemning the aid blockade.
Premier Keir Starmer and his German and French counterparts will be contacted by the UK government on Thursday to “discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need” to discuss.
Talking stalls
Negotiations to end the war in Gaza continue to deteriorate, with US envoy Steve Witkoff revealing that his team would leave Qatar early.
Israel made that announcement shortly after it made it known that it would be removing its delegation from the discussions.
Witkoff claimed in a statement that Hamas displayed “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire.”
Without going into further detail, Witkoff said, “We will now look at alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to make a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.”
Hamas, which has repeatedly accused Israel of thwarting a ceasefire agreement, expressed surprise at Witkoff’s remarks.
In a statement released late on Thursday, Hamas stated that the movement “affirms its eagerness to continue the negotiations and engage in them in a way that helps overcome obstacles and leads to a permanent ceasefire agreement.”
In what could potentially lead to ethnic cleansing, US President Donald Trump has meanwhile continued to push for a deal while also supporting the displacement of Palestinians from the enclave to nearby nations.
recognition of Palestine by France
Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, made the announcement late on Thursday that the State of Palestine would be recognized at the UN General Assembly in September.
Macron claimed that Macron’s choice “in keeping with] France’s] historic commitment to a just and lasting Middle East.”
With the approval of the decision, France will become the largest and arguably most powerful nation in Europe.
The move was praised by Mahmoud Abbas, the deputy president of the Palestinian Authority, who claimed it demonstrated France’s “commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz referred to the action as “disgrace and a surrender to terrorism,” while Israeli officials immediately condemned it.
Source: Aljazeera
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