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Amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where residents are struggling to find food due to relentless Israeli attacks, 221 British lawmakers have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him to recognize Palestine as a state. The United Nations has reported that nearly one-third of Gaza’s population is facing starvation, with many going days without food.
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) issued a statement on Saturday highlighting the dire situation in Gaza, where malnutrition rates are rising. Approximately 90,000 women and children urgently need medical attention due to malnutrition. According to Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, five more people, including two children—one just seven days old—died of starvation in the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of deaths due to starvation during the 21-month Israeli offensive to over 120, including more than 80 children.
Mohammad Abu Afash, director of Medical Relief in Gaza, told Al Jazeera that 17,000 children are suffering from severe malnutrition. “The situation is deteriorating daily. We are in the fifth stage of famine. Without urgent medical supplies, the death toll will rise further. No food, water, or aid has been delivered in the past five months,” he said.
After an 11-week blockade, Israel has allowed limited aid into Gaza since May, with supplies also being distributed by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the past two months while attempting to collect aid. On Saturday, Israeli airstrikes targeted over 100 locations in Gaza, killing at least 25 people since dawn. Since October 7, 2023, more than 59,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
**Failed Ceasefire Talks**
Negotiations for a ceasefire in Qatar have collapsed, with US and Israeli delegations withdrawing and blaming Hamas. On Friday, US President Donald Trump stated that Hamas does not want a ceasefire and vowed to “hunt down” its members. He also indicated that neither the US nor Israel is ready to fully halt the conflict at this stage.
**British Lawmakers Demand Recognition of Palestine**
Amid the escalating violence, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France would recognize Palestine. This has intensified pressure on the UK to follow suit. On Friday, 221 British lawmakers, including members of the ruling Labour Party, sent a letter to Starmer, calling for the formal recognition of Palestine at an upcoming UN conference in New York on July 28-29. In response, Starmer said the UK would only recognize Palestine as part of a peace agreement reached through negotiations.
In a joint statement on Friday, the UK, France, and Germany called on Israel to end the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza. The leaders emphasized that blocking urgent humanitarian aid to civilians is unacceptable and urged Israel to lift restrictions in accordance with international humanitarian law.
