Displaying items by tag: Hamas

The ongoing war in Gaza has now lasted six months, with escalating violence and a rising death toll. Israel's allies are growing impatient with the lack of a viable plan to end the conflict. International organisations have warned of possible genocide, and even Israel's closest allies are criticising Benjamin Netanyahu, who is steadfastly refusing calls for a humanitarian ceasefire. The goal of eliminating Hamas seems unattainable, leaving Israel in a difficult situation. The numbers of those killed in Gaza are huge - over 33,000 killed and 75,000 injured, with far more facing starvation. One commentator has said, ‘17,000 orphans … what is their view of Israel and the United States going to be when they grow up?’ Although Israel's political divisions persist, most Israelis still support the war. There are fears of further escalation, if Iran or Hezbollah take action: see

A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has left Cyprus, marking the first maritime shipment of aid to the war-torn region. It aims to deliver 200 tons of food aid, equivalent to around 500,000 meals, directly to Gaza. The initiative comes amidst growing concerns over famine and malnutrition in the enclave, exacerbated by Israel's restrictions on aid distribution. However, concerns persist regarding the effectiveness of maritime and air-dropped aid compared to traditional deliveries by truck. The ongoing efforts are critical as Gaza faces acute shortages of essential supplies, with rising numbers of children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. Israel has been accused by humanitarian officials of arbitrary and contradictory criteria regarding access. In another development, the US senate majority leader has called for Benjamin Netanyahu to step down: see

UN officials have accused Israel of systematically blocking aid from reaching desperate Palestinians in Gaza, warning that a quarter of the population is ‘one step away from famine’. On 29 February over a hundred died and 750 were wounded when Israeli soldiers opened fire on crowds waiting for food aid. The conflict has now resulted in over 30,000 Palestinian casualties. Much of Gaza has been devastated. The officials highlighted the urgent need for food aid, with one in six children under two in northern Gaza suffering from acute malnutrition. However, delivering aid is hampered by numerous obstacles, including crossing closures, restrictions on movement, and attacks on aid convoys. In the event of a ceasefire, the World Food Programme is ready to swiftly expand operations; however, US hopes of an imminent truce seem very slim.

The US military has conducted four ‘self-defence’ strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, destroying seven cruise missiles, a mobile ballistic missile launcher, and a drone aimed towards the Red Sea. These were regarded as an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships. Israel's Arrow missile defence system intercepted an air attack from the Red Sea direction near Eilat. The Houthis, controlling populous Yemen regions, have targeted vessels tied to the US, UK, and Israel since November. The USA condemns their actions as terrorism, citing attacks on civilians and shipping, but the Houthis claim that their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their attacks have disrupted global commerce, rerouting ships around Africa, exacerbating humanitarian crises in regions like Sudan, Ethiopia, and Yemen. Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has urged Hamas to drop their ‘absurd’ demands for releasing Israeli hostages: see

Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted his troops will advance on the Gazan city of Rafah, defying international pleas to reconsider. He has ordered his army to prepare for a ground assault on the city, where some 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering, but talked of first ‘allowing the civilian population to leave the battle zones’. His aim is to eliminate Hamas from the city. The prime ministers of France, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have urged Israel to refrain from the operation to avoid a humanitarian disaster, while Spain and Ireland have asked the EU to investigate ‘urgently’ whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that the death toll in Gaza is now at least 28,500 casualties.

On 7 February Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas's proposed ceasefire deal, describing their demands as ‘bizarre’. Talks persist, but Israeli officials are vehemently opposed to Hamas's attempt to end the conflict on their terms. The proposed deal aimed for a 45-day ceasefire, followed by exchanges of prisoners and hostages and an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu claimed that achieving ‘total victory’ in Gaza within months is possible, and announced preparations for potential Israeli operations in Rafah. His comments are a blow to a sustained push by the US to reach a deal which its top diplomat, Antony Blinken, described as ‘the best path forward’. They also highlighted the fundamental mismatch between the US and Israel's plans for Gaza's future. The immediate challenge now is salvaging talks to facilitate hostage exchanges and a desperately needed humanitarian pause, to allow more aid into Gaza.

As Israel’s war on Gaza pushes into its fourth month, fears of regional escalation are growing, with several nations and armed groups targeting each other’s territories and common waters, and the USA boosting its military assets in the region. Last week, Iran launched attacks in Syria and Iraq after members of its elite forces were killed in Damascus allegedly in Israeli attacks. Tit-for-tat attacks between Iran and Pakistan threatened to open a new military front, but diplomacy has helped cool the tempers, for now. The Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen has been targeting commercial and military ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea as a response to the war in Gaza. This has prompted a number of air strikes against them by the USA and the UK. Many companies are now sending their ships on a longer and costlier journey around the African continent. Meanwhile, almost daily cross-border artillery firing and drone attacks between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters are threatening to open another front. Tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border have been forced to flee their homes.

South Africa has appealed to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to force Israel to ‘immediately suspend’ its military operations in Gaza. While acknowledging the ‘particular weight of responsibility’ of accusing Israel of genocide, Pretoria has also ‘unequivocally’ condemned the Hamas attacks in October which touched off the war. President Isaac Herzog has called this complaint ‘atrocious and preposterous’: Israel will present its case to the court on 12 January. As it is an urgent procedure, the ICJ could rule in a matter of weeks: although its rulings cannot be appealed, its decisions are not binding. However, a ruling against Israel would certainly increase political pressure on the country and might serve as a pretext for sanctions. Meanwhile, the UN has passed a resolution demanding ‘immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip’: see

There are signs which suggest a potential pause in the Israel-Hamas conflict, although a full ceasefire remains uncertain. Hamas, which has consistently said that it will only free more Israeli hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, is engaged in talks in Cairo, led by its leader Ismail Haniyeh. Both Egypt and Qatar are involved in mediating these discussions. Although Israel's goal is to dismantle Hamas completely, it has reportedly presented a plan to secure the release of around forty hostages, focusing on women, elderly individuals, and those in urgent need of medical care. In return, they could exchange Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails with more serious convictions than those released in previous deals. Benjamin Netanyahu emphasised the importance of retrieving the hostages, revealing that Mossad has been actively promoting a new release deal through diplomatic channels. These developments come alongside the news that over 20,000 Palestinians have now been killed in the conflict: see

On 12 December, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. With 153 votes in favour, 10 against (including the United States and Israel), and 23 abstentions (including the UK and Germany), the resolution emphasises the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, provide humanitarian assistance, and seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. It also calls for an end to the use of force and the resumption of negotiations. It is reported that the conflict has now led to over 18,600 civilian casualties in the Gaza strip, 70% of them women and children. The vote serves as a strong international call for an end to hostilities and a return to peace talks. On 8 December, an almost identically worded resolution proposed at the UN security council was vetoed by the USA. There is a sense that Joe Biden’s administration is becoming increasingly isolated in its unconditional support of Israel’s actions.