UK demands Israel stop 'unimaginable' Gaza famine as children starve to death

Horror-stricken Gaza is suffering a “famine unfolding before our eyes,” a coalition of western countries declared on Tuesday. The UK, Australia and other European states demanded Israel allow unrestricted aid into Gaza, describing the humanitarian suffering as "unimaginable". In a joint statement signed by the foreign ministers of 24 countries, they said famine is "unfolding before our eyes".

It said: "The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised.” The grim warning happened as Israel continued to batter the Strip with missiles and ground attacks, killing at least 46 Palestinians since dawn on Tuesday. Another five Palestinians, including two children, died from starvation, taking the toll of those dying from lack of food to 227 since the war in the Strip began.

Among those who have starved to death, according to health officials, were 103 children, and Israel has continued pounding the enclave daily. It comes after Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu recently 'completely lost it' with angry response to Keir Starmer.

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The military has been roundly condemned for its killing of Al Jazeera journalists based on the claim that one of them was a Hamas “terrorist.”

Both the UN and the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ’s office have called for an independent investigation to probe the attack. The 24 foreign minister statement continued: "Due to restrictive new registration requirements, essential international NGOs (non-governmental organisations) may be forced to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territories imminently, which would worsen the humanitarian situation still further.

"We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected."

The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The military has been roundly condemned for its killing of Al Jazeera journalists based on the claim that one of them was a Hamas “terrorist.” Both the UN and the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office have called for an independent investigation to probe the attack.

The Government Media Office in Gaza reported that only 1,334 aid trucks out of the supposed 9,000 were allowed into Gaza over 15 days. Wadie Said, professor of law at the University of Colorado, says journalists cannot be targeted in conflicts as they are considered “protected persons” under international law.

The latest Israeli targeting and killing of Al Jazeera’s journalists is “remarkable”, he said, in that the Israeli military “engaged in a campaign of terrorisation of Anas al-Sharif directly. It’s no longer being hidden, it’s no longer being kept under wraps,” Said told Al Jazeera.

The war began on October 7 2023 when Hamas broke out of Gaza and killed around 1,200 in southern Israel, kidnapping 250 and taking them back to the Strip.

At least 50 remain in captivity , although only 20 are believed to be alive.