
The death toll keeps rising in Gaza as Netanyahu says Israel is 'moving toward full control'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his country's military was 'moving toward full control' of the Gaza Strip as its intensifying air strikes and ground operation there killed dozens more people overnight.
Airstrikes had killed more than 300 people in the 72 hours to early Monday, the health authority in Hamas-run Gaza said. Children were among the dead after a wave of airstrikes in the southern city of Khan Younis that came even after Netanyahu said his forces would allow in limited amounts of food to avoid the risk of famine.
The Israeli government announced plans Sunday that, if actioned, would end its 11-week aid blockade of Gaza and allow in 'basic' quantities of food. The prime minister doubled down Monday on his decision, responding on Telegram to critics from Israel's political right wing.
'There is a lot of criticism from the right this morning regarding the humanitarian issue — and that's understandable. But it's important to know the facts,' he said, adding that 'we must avoid a situation of famine, both in substance and in perception.'
'If there is famine,' he added, 'we will lose international support and won't be able to achieve victory.'
That decision came even as Israel moved ahead with plans for a new ground offensive, dubbed 'Chariots of Gideon,' after Israel's Security Cabinet earlier this month unanimously approved plans to seize all of the Gaza Strip.
It was in his statement Monday that Netanyahu said that "there is intensive and large-scale military activity in Gaza" and that the Israeli military was "moving toward full control of the entire Strip."
In a statement Monday, the Hamas-run government of Gaza accused Israel of committing 'horrific crimes on a daily basis.'
Israel says the operation is aimed at defeating Hamas and ensuring the return of the remaining hostages of the 250 taken captive during the Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 people were killed.
The ensuing war in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people in the enclave, Palestinian health officials say. That death toll is still rising.
Those killed in airstrikes added to what has become one of the deadliest weeks of the conflict since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in March.
In a statement Monday, Hamas said that the Israeli military had launched 'hundreds of highly destructive shells, missiles, and bombs daily, targeting residential neighborhoods and densely populated civilian areas.'
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that it had struck 160 of what it called 'terror targets' in the past 24 hours.
The attacks come as international aid groups have repeatedly warned in recent weeks of the risk of famine in Gaza after the Israeli government maintained a complete aid blockade since March 2.
'We're in a race against time to avoid famine,' the United Nations' World Food Programme said in an X post Sunday, in which it urged the international community to 'act urgently to get aid flowing again.'
Those warnings have sparked alarm among even Israel's closest allies, with President Donald Trump telling reporters on Friday that 'a lot of people are starving' in Gaza.
The United Nations said Monday 92% of homes in Gaza have already been destroyed or damaged in a post on X, adding that 'countless people have been displaced multiple times, and shelter is scarce.'
In footage captured Sunday by NBC News' crew on the ground, Israeli missiles struck a cluster of tents sheltering displaced families in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, killing at least 40 people and injuring dozens of others.
'I brought five charred bodies to Nasser Hospital, but many more are still by the tents—we couldn't reach them because of the flames,' Jaafar Ezzedine, a civil defense medic, told NBC News.
Warda Waleed Al-Shaer, a displaced woman from Rafah, told NBC News that her brother, his wife and their children had been killed in the attacks. 'Why? What happened? How can I live with losing all of them at once?' she said.
Following Israel's announcement to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza, Reuters reported that aid trucks were seen lining up Monday in Egypt's northern Sinai city of Arish, apparently waiting to enter Gaza through its southern Rafah Crossing.
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South Wales Guardian
38 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Foreign Office staff told to consider resigning if they disagree on Gaza
Some 300 staff at the Government department, based in the UK and offices abroad, sent a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy raising concerns about Israel's conduct in Gaza, the BBC reported. The letter warned of 'complicity' in Israel's actions and questioned continued UK arms sales to the country, according to the broadcaster. The Foreign Office's two most senior officials, Sir Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer, responded to the letter. 'If your disagreement with any aspect of Government policy or action is profound your ultimate recourse is to resign from the Civil Service. This is an honourable course,' they told staff in their reply. The two Foreign Office bosses insisted they wanted to see a 'healthy challenge' to policy but said it was up to civil servants to deliver on the will of the Government. The letter, which follows several other similar missives to Civil Service chiefs, was signed on May 16, the BBC reported. In it, the signatories said: 'In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel's violations of international humanitarian law and potential UK government complicity. 'In the intervening period, the reality of Israel's disregard for international law has become more stark.' They went on to list the killing by Israeli forces of 15 aid workers in March, and the blockade on aid into Gaza, among their concerns. They added that 'supported by the Trump administration, the Israeli government has made explicit plans for the forcible transfer of Gaza's population'. Ministers' official line is that Israel is 'at risk' of breaching international law with its actions in Gaza. The Government halted 30 out of around 350 arms sales licences to Israel in September last year, for fear they may be used for war crimes. MPs critical of Israel's actions have called on ministers to go further, and to halt all UK arms sales to the country. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'Since day one, this Government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza. 'One of our first acts in Government was to suspend export licences that could be used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza. 'We have successfully implemented the suspension decision and continue to refuse all relevant licence applications. 'We have suspended direct exports of F-35 parts for use by Israel, and we categorically do not export any bombs or ammunition which could be used in Gaza. 'We have also suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement, while supporting humanitarian efforts through the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and the commitment of over £230 million in assistance across the past two financial years.' They added: 'It is the job of civil servants to deliver on the policies of the government of the day and to provide professional, impartial advice as set out in the Civil Service Code. There are systems in place which allow them to raise concerns if they have them.' The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said the Foreign Office's reply to the letter from civil servants was 'hopelessly inadequate', and the suggestion they could resign 'simply reprehensible'. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: 'The response from Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer to the concerns of staff in FCDO is consistent with the attitude displayed by Civil Service management all along, in that it is hopelessly inadequate. 'There has been little effort to address our members' concerns and no effort to justify the UK Government's interactions with the government of Israel, despite our genuine concerns over its potential failure to comply with its obligations under international and domestic law.' The PCS chief said she had raised the International Court of Justice ruling 'that some of the alleged acts by Israel in Gaza could potentially be considered within the provisions of the Genocide Convention' last year. 'We were clear that PCS concurred with that view. The horrors visited upon the people of Gaza since then have only reinforced our view,' she said. Ms Heathcote added: 'As for the suggestion that civil servants may wish to resign if they are uncomfortable with what they are being asked to do – this is simply reprehensible. 'It is a dereliction of duty and a startling ignorance of the provisions of the Civil Service code, which require all civil servants to act in accordance with the law, including international law.'


Scottish Sun
41 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Just leave her in Gaza' Israeli hostage families slam Greta Thunberg over embarrassing ‘Freedom Flotilla' stunt
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GRETA Thunberg's "Freedom Flotilla" ship stunt has been slammed by the tormented families of hostages. Anti-Israel campaigner Greta, 22, has been accused of supporting Hamas after attempting to breach the Gaza blockade. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Greta Thunberg pictured after the Israeli Defence Forces boarded the Madleen Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 11 Rita Lifshitz outside her father-in-law Oded's burnt-out home 11 The family of hostage Oded Lifshitz speaks to the crowd at a protest rally against the government Credit: Alamy 11 Greta pictured on a deportation flight from Israel Credit: Twitter/OSINTdefender Israeli naval forces seized the British flagged-yacht Madleen carrying the climate activist on Monday. Greta - who moaned she was "kidnapped" - has been blasted for her latest antic by the families of hostages who have lambasted her for wasting precious time. She has since been pictured on a deportation flight from Israel. One ex-government official rebuked what they branded an "insignificant episode which mostly manifested the stupidity of both sides". Rita Lifshitz, whose in-laws were brutally kidnapped on October 7, echoed suggestions she should have been "left in Gaza". She told The Sun: "In Sweden they said it would have been better to let her into Gaza so she couldn't come back. "People don't believe in what she's doing and saying. "This will just show them more that they shouldn't believe what she is saying." Rita's father-in-law Oded was callously killed in captivity after being snatched by Hamas terrorists from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. He and wife Yocheved were among 250 taken hostage when vile Hamas thugs tore across the border - killing at random and torching homes. Steve Brisley's sister Leanne 48, and his nieces Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were among those cruelly murdered that day. Greta Thunberg's Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla' boarded & seized by Israeli forces The dad, from Bridgend, Wales, took aim at Greta's stunt for wasting time which could have been used to get the remaining hostages home. "This isn't about politics or publicity for me," he said. "It's about families torn apart and 55 hostages still in Gaza. "Their loved ones wait for their return - for an embrace or a burial. "Every moment wasted on anything else adds to the suffering on both sides." 11 Steve Brisley, whose sister and two nieces were killed on 7 October by Hamas Credit: AFP 11 Rita Lifshitz stands near her son, Daniel Lifshitz, as he delivers his grandfather's eulogy during the funeral for Oded Lifshitz Credit: Getty 11 Ruins of a kibbutz decimated by Hamas Credit: Katie Davis for The Sun 11 Greta Thunberg speaking at a press conference Credit: Getty Efrat Machikawa, whose elderly uncle Gadi Moses was trapped in Gaza for 15 months, resonated with Steve's call. She said: "The only comment I might have at the moment is to bring the focus on releasing all hostages and ending this terrible war, so we can all heal. "Every day passing is a day too late for all of us in the region." Israeli's furious government has vowed to make Greta and other activists detained watch a harrowing video of the October 7 massacre. Haunting clips shows innocents, including children, being slaughtered by Hamas savages during the attacks. The footage - titled "Bearing Witness" - was taken from the Hamas terrorists' bodycams as they filmed their massacre. Hamas unleashed carnage in the Middle East after massacring more than 1,200 and abducting 251 hostages on October 7, 2023. What happened on October 7? ON OCTOBER 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, marking one of the darkest days in the nation's history. Terrorists stormed across the border from Gaza, killing over 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and kidnapping 250 others, including women, children, and the elderly. The coordinated assault saw heavily armed fighters infiltrate Israeli towns, kibbutzim, and military bases, unleashing indiscriminate violence. Innocent families were slaughtered in their homes, and graphic footage of the atrocities spread across social media, leaving the world in shock. And as well as attacking people in their homes, they stormed the Nova music peace festival - killing at least 364 people there alone. The massacre triggered a swift and massive retaliatory response from Israel, escalating into a full-scale war. The attack not only reignited long-standing tensions in the region but also left deep scars on both sides of the conflict, setting the stage for the 16 months of devastation that followed. Some 56 hostages remain in Gaza - 20 of whom are still believed to be alive. 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Greta Thunberg - Swedish climate activist Rima Hassan – French-Palestinian MEP Yasemin Acar – German activist Thiago Avila – Brazilian activist Omar Faiad – French journalist Pascal Maurieras – French activist Yanis Mhamdi – French reporter Suayb Ordu – Turkish activist Sergio Toribio – Spanish activist Marco van Rennes – Dutch activist Reva Viard – French activist Liam Cunningham - Irish Game of Thrones actor Baptiste Andre - French Physician US President Donald Trump commented: "She's a strange person. "I think she needs to go to an anger management class." Travelling alongside her was Rima Hassan, a French member of the European parliament of Palestinian descent. She was barred from entering Israel due to her outspoken criticism of the country's policies towards Palestinians. Organisers claimed pro-Palestinian FFC claimed the voyage was 'a non-violent, direct action to challenge Israel's illegal siege". Israel imposed a near-total blockade on Gaza in late 2023, following Hamas's horror massacre on southern Israel on October 7. 11 A photo posted on Telegram purportedly showing activists with their hands up on board the Madleen Credit: Freedom Flotilla Coalition 11 Greta Thunberg was part of the crew of the ship Madleen Credit: Getty

The National
41 minutes ago
- The National
UK set to sanction 2 Israeli ministers over Gaza comments, reports say
The Times reports that Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, finance minister, will have their assets frozen and travel bans imposed. Canada, Australia and New Zealand have already imposed sanctions on the two ministers. Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir to maintain his fragile coalition government. Smotrich approved the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He also campaigned against allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza. 'Gaza will be entirely destroyed,' he said last month, adding that Palestinians will 'leave in great numbers to third countries'. Ben-Gvir has advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, and said that the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem should be replaced with a synagogue. READ MORE: Freedom Flotilla Coalition gives update on Madleen crew detained by Israel 'Yesterday, minister 'There is no need to bring in aid [to Gaza]. They have enough,' he said earlier this year. Ben-Gvir also said that the decision to resume aid deliveries was a 'serious and grave mistake'. According to the newspaper the UK is now considering imposing sanctions over their comments, which Foreign Secretary David Lammy described as 'monstrous'. 'We are now entering a dark new phase in this conflict,' Lammy told the House of Commons last month. 'Netanyahu's government is planning to drive Gazans from their homes into a corner of the strip to the south and permit them a fraction of the aid that they need. "[Bezalel] Smotrich even spoke of Israeli forces cleansing Gaza, destroying what's left of residents, Palestinians being relocated, he said, to third countries.' Scottish MSP Ross Greer said of the reports: 'Sanctioning two individual ministers for their incitement to genocide is good and long overdue, but how does the UK Government square that with continuing to sell arms to Israel and failing to sanction Netanyahu himself?' More to follow…