Netanyahu says starvation claims in Gaza are exaggerated as backlash mounts over plans for new Israeli offensive
At a press conference on Sunday, a defiant Netanyahu continued to deny there is starvation in Gaza and claimed the situation is being exaggerated. Netanyahu only conceded there was 'deprivation' in Gaza, but said 'no one in Gaza would have survived after two years of war' if Israel was implementing a 'starvation policy.'
Netanyahu went on to defend the new military offensive, saying Israel had 'no choice' but to 'finish the job' and 'defeat Hamas,' while claiming that "hundreds of aid trucks have gone into Gaza."
But his critics on the left say his proposed new military offensive is likely to worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and further endanger the hostages still being held by Hamas. Protests calling for an immediate ceasefire drew thousands of people Saturday night in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.
And for some far-right members of Netanyahu's coalition government, the plan isn't tough enough.
Foreign Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has pushed for Israel to impose sovereignty over Gaza, called it a 'foolish' half-measure, saying in a video message Saturday night that he did not support it.
Smotrich said the proposed offensive was intended to pressure Hamas into agreeing to a temporary ceasefire, and that instead Israel needed a 'sharp, clear path' to victory over Hamas.
The dissatisfaction expressed by Smotrich, who said he had 'lost faith' in the prime minister, threatens to destabilize Netanyahu's fragile coalition.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid seized on the opportunity, calling on Smotrich to join him in advancing a bill to dissolve parliament and hold new elections.
'In your own words, you admitted that the prime minister's policy is not leading to a decisive outcome in Gaza, is not returning our hostages, and is not winning the war,' Lapid said in a statement, according to the Times of Israel. 'You also added that you can no longer stand behind the prime minister and back him up.'
The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting later Sunday to discuss Israel's proposed offensive, which has been condemned by Britain, France, Australia and other Western governments.
James Kariuki, the U.K.'s deputy permanent representative to the U.N., called on Israel to reverse its decision, saying the plan "will only deepen the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza."
It comes amid a worsening hunger crisis in Gaza, where humanitarian aid has been limited since Israel lifted a two-and-a-half-month blockade in May.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday that five more people, including two children, had died from malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 217, including 100 children.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said Thursday that at least 99 people in Gaza, including 29 children under age 5, have died from malnutrition this year, noting the real toll was most likely higher.
The U.N. and other international organizations say the humanitarian aid arriving in Gaza through air drops and on a small number of trucks is far from sufficient to feed the enclave's population of 2 million people.
On Saturday, a 14-year-old boy named Muhannad Eid died after being struck by an aid package that was airdropped over Gaza, his brother, Muhammad Eid, said.
'This is an aerial humiliation, not aid,' Eid said. 'We need protection. We want international protection.'
With the latest death, 23 people have now been killed during airdrops since the Israel-Hamas war began 22 months ago, according to the Gaza government media office.
'We have repeatedly warned of the danger of these inhumane methods and have repeatedly called for the safe and adequate entry of aid through land crossings,' it said in a statement.
According to local health officials, more than 61,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, have been killed since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, with Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel. During that attack, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 others.
Of the 50 hostages still being held by Hamas, Israel believes about 20 are alive. Hostage advocates and Netanyahu's own army chief have warned that expanded military operations could put their lives in danger.
The plan, which Netanyahu's government announced Friday, outlines five goals for ending the war: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarizing Gaza, taking security control of the area, and establishing 'an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.'
Those preparations are expected to take weeks or months, a delay that hardliners in the Israeli government fear could leave room for a diplomatic solution that would undermine their objectives.
Experts have also questioned whether the plan would protect Israelis, or work at all.
Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University's Dayan Center, said the plan was full of 'hollow slogans.'
'There is a very common slogan: 'We will release the hostages and defeat Hamas at the same time,'' he said. 'You can't do both simultaneously. Hamas will execute them, or the IDF itself could in the bombing.'
Netanyahu said Sunday that his goal was to get the hostages out alive and recover the remains of those had had died.
"If we don't do anything, we are not going to get them out," he said. "The move I'm talking about has the possibility of getting them out."
There are also questions as to who would run Gaza long term. Netanyahu said he intends to hand control of the territory to 'Arab forces,' adding Sunday that "several candidates" are being looked at for the establishment of a new "transitional authority."
He has not specified who that could be, aside from saying it would not be Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
'That leaves nobody,' said H.A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. 'No Arab country is going to be Israel's enforcer on the ground.'
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
In Gaza, tribal fighters and diplomats eye the same prize
Gazan resident Mahmoud Hamdan says that Palestinians, caught between Israel and Hamas, have 'no clear political alternative' As Israel moves to seize Gaza City, dismantle Hamas, and keep a long-term military presence, local medical staff reported at least 48 dead Tuesday in strikes across Gaza City and Khan Yunis. Five more people, including two children, have died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the territory's health ministry said. Critics warn that Netanyahu's Oct. 7, 2025, deadline for seizing Gaza City could uproot thousands more residents and further deepen the political vacuum left by Hamas' retreat and the Palestinian Authority's 18-year absence. That gap is already being contested on the ground: clan-based militias are stepping into governance roles, mediating disputes and escorting aid convoys in parts of the Strip. Rooted in Bedouin and clan traditions, these kinship systems have long mediated disputes, distributed aid and maintained social order when formal government structures faltered. The war has brought them back to the forefront, operating as de facto municipal authorities in many neighborhoods. A Hamas-free pocket in eastern Rafah — controlled by the clan-based 'Popular Forces' of Yasser Abu Shabab — has emerged as an example of an alternative local order. Its future is uncertain, but the enclave is drawing attention as both an anomaly and a possible preview of postwar governance. The Yasser Abu Shabab – Popular Forces Facebook page — followed by more than 30,000 people — describes the group as 'The voice of truth against terrorism for a safe homeland for all' and labels its feed as the group's 'media office.' Operating in the eastern sector of Rafah, near the Gaza–Egypt border, the group showcases its activities through frequent online updates. In a July 30 video, Abu Shabab said his forces carried out a 'special operation' evacuating dozens of civilians from Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat and Khan Yunis to 'safe areas' under their control in eastern Rafah. The group said it spent months building the refuge to shelter Gazans 'still suffering from Hamas' looting and repression.' On July 31, it said its fighters 'secured and imported dozens of trucks' carrying flour and other supplies, and on Aug. 6, it reported escorting 'a large number of trucks' loaded with food, flour and cooking oil out of its territory. Hamas's replacement Omar Salim, 22, a student from Rafah, told The Media Line that Yasser Abu Shabab and his fighters were one of the few realistic options for ending Hamas' rule. 'What Yasser Abu Shabab's popular forces are doing is probably the best option we've got right now. We just want peace — we don't want to be ruled by armed groups like Hamas that drag us into war. We're sick of it,' Salim said. 'Sure, they still need to get better organized, but they're working on it. These days, a lot of families are moving into areas controlled by the popular forces because they feel safer there than in the neighborhoods where Hamas militias are still around.' In Deir al-Balah, Ibrahim Ahmed, 36, who worked at a local mobile phone shop until the 2023 war began, described the chaos and deprivation now gripping Gaza as 'mired in uncertainty,' with many 'grappling with anxiety about what lies ahead.' People rush to stockpile food and medicine, he said, 'but soaring prices and persistent shortages complicate these efforts.' Ahmed told The Media Line he sees no alliances among the warring factions. 'Israeli forces have largely subdued Hamas, which now clings to a mere handful of weapons, primarily to instill fear among civilians and quash dissent,' he said. 'Hamas' claims about readiness to resist an Israeli takeover of Gaza City are hollow media posturing — a facade for maintaining their waning influence.' He added that the Palestinian Authority 'appears increasingly irrelevant,' while armed groups like Abu Shabab 'navigate freely within Israeli-controlled territories' and avoid conflict with Israeli forces. 'This dynamic suggests Israel may turn to these clans during a potential period of military governance, positioning them as a counterbalance to both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority,' Ahmed warned. 'Mr. Netanyahu and the Israeli military are cultivating a new power structure. But Gaza risks descending into civil war and chaos.' Meanwhile, Hamas' feared counterintelligence Sahm unit continues to kill, torture, maim and intimidate Palestinians in Gaza, with the group posting graphic images and videos of its actions on a Telegram channel believed to be operated from Belgium. The footage shows detainees beaten, bound and in some cases executed, as the unit seeks to stamp out suspected dissent or collaboration. Other Facebook videos last week showed a convoy of masked, rifle-waving fighters patrolling a Gaza neighborhood. On the platform — one of the few spaces where Gazans can safely vent about the suffering caused by Israel's war and Hamas' grip on their streets — users mocked the fighters' covered faces and apparent comfort amid civilian hunger and deprivation. Mahmoud Hamdan, 41, a father of three from Gaza City, said a military operation to reclaim the city is 'unlikely to unite factions; instead, it may deepen divisions, fragment communities and increase violence.' 'Palestinian civilians suffer the most,' Hamdan told The Media Line, 'trapped between Israel and Hamas, with no control or refuge in their homes amid the chaos.' He sees 'no clear political alternative' — neither from clan factions nor possible Arab troop involvement. In his view, the main aim is 'strengthening Netanyahu's power,' with the prime minister 'manipulating the situation with Hamas to justify his controversial political moves.' Hamdan's fears of Gaza sliding toward civil war come as even some of Hamas' staunchest foreign patrons signal a shift. Pivoting from years of alignment with Hamas, Qatar and Turkey — two of the movement's most reliable political and financial backers joined other Arab and Muslim-majority states on July 29, 2025, in a joint declaration urging the group to return control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority and disarm. At the same time, a new technocratic governance plan is being advanced by former Israeli intelligence operative Ari Ben-Menashe, now a Montréal-based lobbyist, who is positioning West Bank businessman Samir Hulileh to lead a transitional administration under an Arab League framework acceptable to the Trump administration — if not all elements of the Netanyahu cabinet. That includes far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has openly called for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and the resettlement of the Strip with Jewish Israelis, a vision sharply at odds with any internationally backed governance arrangement. The Hulileh concept envisions securing $53 billion in Gulf and European reconstruction funding, expanded border crossings, and up to 1,000 aid trucks a day — a top-down blueprint dependent on Arab and US endorsement. Hulileh, 68, is a Ramallah-based economist and former senior Palestinian Authority official with no political or professional ties to Gaza. Born in Kuwait in 1957, he earned a master's in economics from the American University of Beirut. He later served as CEO of the Palestine Development and Investment Company, one of the largest investment holding firms in the territories. A close confidant of US-Palestinian billionaire Bashar Masri, founder of Rawabi and head of Massar International, Hulileh has been involved in major West Bank development projects. Masri's investment network and political connections, including with the Trump administration, could help secure foreign capital and diplomatic support for the plan. Speaking to the Palestinian Ajyal radio on Tuesday, Hulileh said, 'In July 2024, I received a call from a Canadian contractor who was working closely with the US administration and the Pentagon on their search for moderate Palestinian figures.' Hulileh added, 'I then reached out to President Mahmoud Abbas informally, hoping to gain his essential support and endorsement for the initiative,' saying 'Israel firmly rejected the proposal, as did several Arab states that were expected to provide financial backing.' The Palestinian presidency has rejected the idea, saying it would aid Israeli efforts to separate Gaza from the West Bank. While Hulileh's candidacy reflects a top-down, internationally backed vision for Gaza's governance, Yasser Abu Shabab's 'Popular Forces' is a homegrown operation run through Gaza's tribal networks. Azzam Shaath, a political analyst from Deir al-Balah, told The Media Line the rise of Abu Shabab stems from 'the exceptional circumstances created by the Israeli war on the Strip.' He argued that Israel has tried to cultivate tribal and local leadership as alternatives to Hamas and the Palestinian Authority but 'has failed to produce any credible Palestinian civil body capable of managing aid or leading Gaza after the war.' Shaath said Israel works with Abu Shabab 'to sow further instability, dismantle Hamas' rule and create the illusion of viable Palestinian alternatives.' In reality, he views the group as 'a temporary, reactive phenomenon that will likely fade once the war ends and Palestinian factions agree on a unified governing committee.' 'As long as the conflict drags on, Abu Shabab will keep a limited foothold by exploiting the security vacuum and the absence of formal governance.' Solve the daily Crossword
Boston Globe
3 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Facing up to the stark realities of Gaza
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Netanyahu recently announced that Israel will take over the Gaza strip to 'further the elimination of Hamas.' It's another step in his attempt to annex Gaza. The United States has always considered Israel to be an ally. We have sent billions of dollars worth of weaponry and other aid to Israel. But Netanyahu is not our friend. The United States needs to stop supporting this power-hungry despot. Advertisement Sandra Breen Warwick, RI All eyes are on the innocents of Gaza Re ' Advertisement As plans to escalate the war against Hamas come to light, the horror of starvation in Gaza increases daily. The people of the world are watching the heartless killing of innocents in Gaza — women, children, and the disabled. Israel, Hamas, and Iran are directly culpable. But we American taxpayers are financing this horror. We are paying for the fighter planes and ammunition used by armed Israelis to rain death and destruction on Gaza's people. We are complicit in the horrifying starvation of innocents, as the eyes of the world watch children struggle for life and die from lack of food. Unless this horror is stopped immediately and the besieged innocents of Gaza have access to food, water, and safety, then the aggressors — both Israel and Hamas — should be shunned by the world. A coalition led by the United Nations must be given direct access to Gaza, with armed security and a variety of peacekeepers paving the way. America, my country, must lead the way to peace in Gaza. We have been the world's peacekeepers since the end of World War II. Why are we now abandoning the innocent, the vulnerable, the starving children? John J. Drew Boston The writer is the former president/CEO of Action for Boston Community Development. History is repeating itself, and it needs to stop It is not anti-Jewish to be against the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, which many experts conclude amount to genocide. Such mass starvation is an affront to humanity. Competent humanitarian agencies need to be given access to those starving; the annihilation of the Palestinian people needs to stop. President Bill Clinton wavered and did not call the Rwanda tragedy a genocide until it was too late. History is now repeating itself. Advertisement John Hammock Belmont The writer is president of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation and former president of Oxfam America. There probably won't be a 'Diary of a Young Girl' from Gaza Why we will likely never get to know the 'Anne Frank' of Gaza: 1. There is no attic in Gaza. 2. There is no food in Gaza. 3. There is no neighbor who can protect her. 4. Her family is likely injured or dead. 5. International journalists are not allowed in Gaza. 6. Soon, she will be dead. Kathleen Curtis Marblehead Some needed momentum for a two-state solution Re ' Ron Israel Milton Hisham Jabi Nablus, West Bank The writers are members of the board of the Global Citizens' Initiative, a nonprofit focused on bringing people and organizations together to solve global problems. Where is the outrage over Hamas's actions? Where's the outrage? Hamas recently released video showing two barely alive, emaciated Israeli hostages abducted from the Nova music festival during the Hamas invasion on Oct. 7, 2023. Outrage against the tragedies of the continuing war in the aftermath of that vicious attack appears to be selective. It is reserved for Israel as the perceived sole perpetrator of all the misery now engulfing Gaza. Hamas, which for 20 years brutally oppressed the population under its control, in part through holding the reins of food and aid distribution, gets a pass from the international community. The new video evidence of Hamas's starvation of these hostages can't move the needle. Instead, France, Britain, and Canada have announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian state, under various conditions. With no plan for effective governance in place, how will that help? Absent a coordinated agreement for responsible administration of Gaza by a coalition of Arab and Western power players, it won't. Advertisement David Greenfield Waltham Israelis and Americans need to take a stand I agree with John Benjamin's piece 'Israel is losing America' (Ideas, Aug. 10). The Gaza atrocities are terrible. The United States would have lost worldwide support if we conducted our Afghanistan war with such callous regard for civilians. Israel must be held responsible for its conduct. At the same time, the Trump administration is using American Jews and Israel as a divisive lever in the United States. His extortion of universities and companies is based in part on claims of antisemitism, while completely ignoring anti-Palestinian views. The good people of Israel, like the good people of the United States, need to reject the policies of their extremist governments and enable freedom and equality for all. John Greichen Jr. Newport, R.I.
4 hours ago
Takeaways from the Trump-Putin meeting: No agreement, no questions but lots of pomp
WASHINGTON -- The much-anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome and a flyover by screaming jets at a U.S. military base in Alaska but ended with a thud Friday after they conceded that they had failed to reach any agreements on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. After about 2 1/2 hours of talks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, the two men appeared before reporters for what had been billed as a joint news conference — but they took no questions. 'We had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to, there are just a very few that are left,' Trump said. 'We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.' Putin, welcomed into the U.S. after being shunned by Western allies since early 2022 for ordering the invasion of Ukraine, thanked Trump for hosting the meeting and suggested with a chuckle that the next time the two sit down it could be in Moscow. Here are key takeaways from the summit: Putin got a red carpet welcome and even rode in Trump's presidential limousine from the tarmac to the summit venue. There, the pair were joined by two of their top aides: Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff for Trump and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and national security adviser Yuri Ushakov for Putin. Putin, who spoke first after the meeting concluded, lauded the historical relationship between the United States, Russia and the former Soviet Union, recalling joint missions conducted by the two countries during World War II. He said the U.S. and Russia share values, a standard talking point for Russian officials when trying to woo Trump and his aides. Putin also noted that Trump has frequently said the Ukraine war wouldn't have happened had he won the 2020 election. "I think that would have been the case," the Russian leader said, a comment sure to please Trump. However, there is no indication and no way to prove that Moscow would have acted differently toward Ukraine had Democrat Joe Biden not been elected. Trump had gone into the meeting hoping to get Putin to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine — or at least a commitment from Russia to enter into negotiations to reach one. Instead, Trump conceded that 'we haven't quite got there' and said he would be conferring with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders about next steps. Trump said he and Putin had made some significant progress toward the goal of ending the conflict but gave no details on what that entailed and had to acknowledge that they had been unable to bridge substantial gaps. 'I believe we had a very productive meeting,' Trump said. 'We haven't quite got there, but we've made some headway. So, there's no deal until there's a deal.' In a subsequent conversation with Sean Hannity of Fox News Channel, Trump again offered no details on his discussions with Putin. Amid drawn-out diplomatic moves to end the war, time is appears to be on Putin's side. That gives a leg up to Russian forces, who have used their larger numbers to slowly grind down defenses in eastern Ukraine 3 1/2 years into the conflict. Putin got a pleasant reception from the leader of the free world on U.S. soil and walked away hours later without either providing details on what they discussed, whether a ceasefire was any closer to reality or what the next steps would be. Putin praised Trump for the 'friendly' tone of the talks — Trump said nothing publicly about the killing of Ukrainian civilians in Moscow's attacks — and for 'understanding that Russia has its own national interests.' Putin said Moscow and Washington should 'turn the page,' with relations having sunk to the lowest point since the Cold War. Putin appearing in the U.S. for the first time in 10 years was celebrated as a sign that Moscow was no longer a pariah on the global stage. In a social media post, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told followers that the Western press would be on the verge of 'losing their minds.' 'For three years, they talked about Russia's isolation, and today they saw the red carpet being rolled out to greet the Russian president in the United States,' she said. Both men said the talks were 'productive' but the lack of any announcement of solid achievements was revealing. The news conference ended up being less than 15 minutes of rather standard diplomatic comments — and gave no indication that any concrete results were achieved — and offered little departure from their previous comments on the war in Ukraine. Trump has made it a feature of his second term to parry questions from reporters in front of world leaders, but in the clearest sign of his disappointment, the president abruptly cut short his plans to take questions. Trump had gone into the summit saying here was a 25% chance that the summit would fail and that it was meant to be a 'feel-out meeting,' but he had also floated the idea of bringing Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting if things went well. It's unclear what comes next.
