Israel considers full Gaza takeover as more die of hunger
Mediation between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas has collapsed despite intense international pressure for a ceasefire to ease hunger and appalling conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Eight more people died of starvation or malnutrition in the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said, while another 79 died in the latest Israeli fire.
Netanyahu was to meet Defence Minister Israel Katz and military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to decide on a strategy to take to cabinet later this week, an Israeli official told Reuters. Strategic Affairs Minister Rob Dermer, a confidant of Netanyahu, would also be present.
Israel's Channel 12, citing an official from Netanyahu's office, said the prime minister was leaning towards taking control of the entire territory. That would reverse a 2005 decision to pull settlers and military out of Gaza while retaining control over its borders, a move right-wing parties blame for Hamas gaining power there.
Palestinians ride on a truck loaded with food and humanitarian aid as it moves along the Morag corridor near Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: AP Photo/Mariam Dagga
It was unclear, however, whether Netanyahu was foreseeing a prolonged occupation or a short-term operation aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing Israeli hostages. The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Channel 12 report.
A Palestinian official said it may be a tactic to pressure Hamas into concessions, while the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged foreign nations to take heed of the reports.
"The ministry urges countries and the international community to treat these leaks with utmost seriousness and to intervene urgently to prevent their implementation, whether these leaks are meant to exert pressure, test international reactions, or are genuine and serious," it said.
Strained military
Israel's coalition government, the most right-wing and religiously conservative in its history, includes far-right politicians who advocate for the annexation of both Gaza and the West Bank and encourage Palestinians to leave their homeland.
Nearly two years of fighting in Gaza has strained the military, which has a small standing army and has had to repeatedly mobilise reservists. It has throughout the war pushed back against the idea of Israel fully occupying Gaza and establishing military rule.
In a sign of differences between some members of Israel's ruling coalition and the military, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on X challenged military head Zamir to state he would comply with government directives even if a decision was made to take all of Gaza.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. File Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar then said the military chief must give his professional opinion, while Defence Minister Katz weighed in to say the military would professionally implement whatever policy the government set.
"Defeating Hamas in Gaza, while creating the conditions for the return of the hostages, are the central goals of the war in Gaza, and we must take all necessary actions to achieve them," Katz said.
The war was triggered when Hamas-led militants on October 7, 2023, attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing 251 hostages, taking them into Gaza.
Israel's military response has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 61,000 people - mostly civilians - according to Palestinian health authorities.
Hunger
Israel's campaign has forced nearly all of Gaza's over 2 million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine.
Some 188 Palestinians, including 94 children, have died from hunger since the war began, according to Gaza authorities.
An Israeli security official, in a briefing to reporters, acknowledged there may be hunger in some parts of Gaza but rejected reports of famine or starvation.
Palestinians carry the body of one of the people who were killed while trying to reach aid trucks entering northern Gaza Strip through the Zikim crossing with Israel, as they stand in the morgue of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Picture: AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi
International anger at the suffering in Gaza has prompted several countries to recognise or announce their intention to recognise Palestine as an independent state.
On Tuesday, Israeli tanks pushed into central Gaza but it was not clear if the move was part of a larger ground offensive.
Palestinians living in the last quarter of territory where Israel has not yet taken military control - via ground incursions or orders for civilians to leave - said any new push would be catastrophic.
"If the tanks pushed through, where would we go, into the sea? This will be like a death sentence to the entire population," said Abu Jehad, a Gaza wood merchant.
The failed mediation in Doha had aimed to clinch agreements on a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, during which aid would be flown into Gaza and half of the hostages Hamas is holding would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
- Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Slovenia introduces ban on imports from Israeli-occupied territories
Slovenia on Wednesday introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and approved an additional aid package for Palestinians in Gaza, the government said in a statement. "The government today banned the import of goods originating from settlements in the occupied territories, including a ban on circumventing the ban on these imports," the statement on the government website said. The statement did not specify whether the ban refers to all goods produced in the territories or just Israeli goods. The government also instructed the competent ministries to consider banning the export of goods from Slovenia intended for these Israeli-occupied settlements. "Israeli government's actions, including the construction of illegal settlements, expropriations, the forced displacement of the Palestinian population, the destruction of their serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law," Prime Minister Robert Golob said in statement quoted by the STA news agency. "These actions not only threaten the lives and dignity of the Palestinian population, but also the foundations of the international order." The news agency said the volume of goods affected is extremely low at under €2,000 in 2023. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal. The Israeli government deems settlements legal under its own laws, while some so-called "outposts" are illegal but often tolerated and sometimes later legalised. The government also said on Wednesday it would provide material assistance in the form of food and blankets, estimated to be worth up to 879,490 euros, to the Palestinians affected by the war between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza. Slovenia recognised a Palestinian state in June last year, following Spain, Ireland and Norway. It last week imposed an embargo on exports, imports and the transit of arms to Israel, two weeks after it declared Israeli ministers persona non grata. Reuters
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Israel's military chief opposes Gaza war expansion
Israel 's military chief has pushed back against Binyamin Netanyahu 's plans to seize areas of Gaza it doesn't already control, three Israeli officials said, as the prime minister faces increasing pressure over the war both at home and abroad. During a tense, three-hour meeting on Tuesday, Eyal Zamir, the military chief of staff, warned the prime minister that taking the rest of Gaza could trap the military in the territory, which it withdrew from two decades ago, and could lead to harm to the hostages being held there, the sources briefed on the meeting said. The Israeli military says it already controls 75 per cent of Gaza after nearly two years of war, which began when militant group Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities in October 2023. It has repeatedly opposed imposing military rule, annexing the territory and rebuilding Jewish settlements there – policies advocated by some government members. Mr Netanyahu is under intense international pressure to reach a ceasefire in the coastal enclave, which has been reduced to rubble in the fighting. Most of the population of about two million has been displaced multiple times and aid groups say residents are on the verge of famine. The UN has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza 'deeply alarming' if true. READ MORE The military, which accuses Hamas of operating among civilians, has at times avoided areas where intelligence suggested hostages were held and former captives have said their captors threatened to kill them if Israeli forces approached. Mr Netanyahu told Mr Zamir that so far the military had failed to bring about the release of the hostages, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Most of those freed so far came about as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir pushed back against Binyamin Netanyahu's plans to seize areas of Gaza it doesn't already control. Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images Defence minister Israel Katz wrote on X Wednesday that the military chief has both the right and the duty to voice his opinion, but said that the military would carry out the government's decisions until all war objectives are achieved. The prime minister's office confirmed the meeting with Mr Zamir on Tuesday but declined to comment further and the military did not respond to a request for comment. The prime minister is scheduled to discuss military plans for Gaza with other ministers on Thursday. A fourth source said Mr Netanyahu wants to expand military operations in Gaza to put pressure on Hamas. Mr Netanyahu, who in May said that Israel would control all of Gaza, leads the most right-wing coalition government in Israel's history and some of his key partners have in the past threatened to quit if the government ended the war. [ Analysis: Resignation of army chief over Gaza occupation would further divide Israel Opens in new window ] Following a 40-minute meeting with the prime minister on Wednesday, opposition leader Yair Lapid told reporters he had advised Mr Netanyahu that the public was not interested in continuing the war and that a full military takeover would be a very bad idea. A public poll last month by Israel's Channel 12 also showed support for a diplomatic deal that would end the war and secure the release of the hostages. There are 50 hostages still being held in Gaza, of whom at least 20 are believed to be alive. Videos released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in Gaza, last week of two extremely emaciated captives triggered international condemnation. Close to 200 Palestinians have died of starvation in Gaza since the war began, about half of them children, according to Gaza's health ministry. More than 20 died on Wednesday when a truck believed to be carrying food overturned as it was swarmed by a desperate crowd, according to local health authorities. The latest ceasefire talks in Qatar broke down last month. Hamas insists any deal must lead to a permanent end to the war, while Israel accuses the group of lacking sincerity about giving up power afterwards and says it must be defeated. An expansion of the military offensive in heavily populated areas would likely be devastating. 'Where will we go?' said Tamer Al-Burai, a displaced Palestinian living at the edge of Deir Al Balah in central Gaza. 'Should people jump into the sea if the tanks rolled in, or wait to die under the rubble of their houses? We want an end to this war, it is enough, enough,' he told Reuters by phone. [ Gaza is also a war on the human instinct for compassion Opens in new window ] The war in Gaza has also overextended Israel's military, which has a small standing army and has had to repeatedly mobilise reservists. It is not clear if more reservists would be needed to expand operations and take more territory. The military continued to carry out air strikes across Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 135 people in the past 24 hours, the Gaza health ministry said, with the death toll since the beginning of the conflict now at more than 61,000, mostly civilians, it says. About 1,200 people were killed, including more than 700 civilians, and 251 hostages taken to Gaza after the Hamas attack on Israel, according to Israeli tallies. – Reuters
RTÉ News
4 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Will recognition of Palestine as a state make a real difference?
Analysis: The growing wave of recognition of Palestine marks a strategic turning point which could open new opportunities for Palestinian statehood The recent recognition of Palestine by France has attracted global attention and has subsequently influenced the stance of the UK, Canada and several EU member states. This follows the recognition of Palestine as a state by Ireland in May 2024. While most countries have welcomed these decisions, viewing them as important tools to pressure Israel to halt the genocide in Gaza, many pro-Palestinian groups see these acts of political recognition as merely symbolic and performative. The US and Israel oppose the recognition of Palestine, claiming it undermines rather than helps conflict resolution. Will this recent wave of recognition of Palestine make a real difference? From RTÉ Radio 1's This Week, will a promise by three G7 countries to recognise the State of Palestine change anything in Gaza? What does diplomatic recognition mean? Diplomatic recognition is seen as a double-edged phenomenon in world politics. It can lead to the birth or even the demise of a state. It can be the cause of both war and peace. It can be a source of justice, but it can also lead to discrimination and oppression. It can act as a constraint on expanding the state and international order, but it can also foster collective self-determination and liberation. In essence, it can reinforce existing state systems but also serve as an open space for normative change and emancipation. The recognition of a state is loosely regulated in international law, and it has been subject to many debates and controversies. There is no consensus on who is entitled to statehood and recognition, who is authorised to recognise states, how many and whether diplomatic recognition makes states. States do not have codified policies and often coat their political decisions with different normative and geopolitical justifications. Thus, recognition has always been and likely will continue to be a flexible political instrument: a bargaining chip for national interests, a retaliatory measure to discipline norm-breaking states, a symbol of shifting alliances, or, on the positive side, an empowering act to foster peace, justice, and address past injustices. 'A powerful tool in diplomacy' Yet diplomatic recognition has proven to be a powerful tool in diplomacy time and again. Opponents of Palestine recognition tend to minimise the significance of such acts, while supporters view it as insufficient to end the war, establish peace and achieve Palestinian statehood. But both are mistaken. Although recognition might be a performative speech act, it is not disconnected from the real world. It is a spoken and written declaration that creates new political realities and has tangible real-world consequences. Recognition acts as a foundation for diplomatic relations. It is a commitment that forms contractual ties, sets expectations, and has legal and political consequences, paving the way for other connections. Therefore, contrary to sceptics, Palestine's recognition by Ireland, Norway, and Spain last year, along with the recent announcements of recognition by France, the UK, Canada, and others carries legal, diplomatic, and moral significance. A stepping stone to full UN membership? For states such as Palestine, membership of the United Nations is far more than a mere badge of diplomatic prestige. It is a vital bulwark against the coercion and marginalisation that non-member territories so often endure. As a collective recognition of statehood, UN membership confers not only moral legitimacy but tangible legal protections. From RTÉ News, what does Ireland's formal recognition of the state of Palestine actually mean? By contrast, states locked out of the UN fold - barred not by choice, but by the vetoes and veto-wielding politics of more powerful capitals - find themselves condemned to limbo. They are cut off from essential UN agencies and trade networks, vulnerable to annexation and isolation and prey to the geopolitical whims of patron states. However, Palestine has been recognised bilaterally by more than 75% of UN member states. It warrants full UN membership on both normative and procedural grounds. Nonetheless, the US remains the main obstacle to full membership as it holds the veto power in recommending Palestine's admission to the UN General Assembly. Yet, due to extensive bilateral recognition, primarily from Muslim states and the Global South, Palestine has held non-member Permanent Observer status at the UN since 2012, granting it nearly full membership rights and access to UN bodies and agencies. Now that France and the UK are likely to formalise their announced recognition of Palestine, the US will be the only UN Security Council permanent member to block Palestine's UN membership. From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Eithne Dodd speaks to Palestinians in Ireland about the Government's formal recognition of a Palestinian state Recognition by France, the UK and other countries can be a game changer. It will lead to further isolation of Israel and make it harder for the US to continue supporting Israel's destructive policies unconditionally. It also indicates that European powers are capable of exercising their strategic autonomy from the US and are not merely vassals to the US grand strategy despite close transatlantic ties. The current wave of recognition may also have regional implications, where the EU might gradually distance itself from Israel in terms of trade, research, and security. Furthermore, the growing support for Palestine sparked by the Gaza genocide, coupled with the increasing diplomatic recognition of the State of Palestine, may create opportunities previously thought unattainable. There will be heightened global focus on Israel's occupation and violence against Palestinians, alongside increased backing for the realisation of a viable Palestinian state. But, it is unlikely to secure full UN membership unless the US changes its position. The increasing cost of independent statehood While states might have an inalienable right to self-determination, their recognition by other states is unfortunately not a given. While some states or entities might be lucky and receive diplomatic recognition without much struggle, it is a very painful, unpredictable and costly endeavour for many groups. From Bangladesh and Eritrea to Timor-Leste, Kosovo and South Sudan, newly formed and recognised states have achieved their statehood only after enduring genocide-like repression by the base state. The more states recognise Palestine, the more they become invested in supporting the realisation of Palestinian statehood Palestine is perhaps an extreme case of securing gradual diplomatic recognition as compensation for decades-long suffering and injustices. The more states recognise Palestine, the more they become invested in supporting the realisation of Palestinian statehood. The power of recognition is not merely symbolic, but it can preserve the hope for statehood for cases such as Palestine. It can reverse the occupation of Palestinian territories and serve as moral compensation for the collective failure to protect civilians. But as long as issues related to statehood and recognition remain unregulated and governed by arbitrary state practices, we are likely to witness more prolonged statehood conflicts and higher costs for diplomatic recognition.
