In recent days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israeli army would be entering and occupying the Gaza Strip. The move marks a terrifying escalation, with Israel planning to forcefully consolidate Palestinians into one small, confined area and take control of the distribution of humanitarian aid.
For the first time, the UK, Canada, and France have condemned this aggressive move, but the response is far from adequate.
In a chilling statement, Nissim Vaturi, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, called for the separation of women and children from men in Gaza, and for the execution of all adult males. “Who is innocent in Gaza? Civilians went out and slaughtered people in cold blood,” Vaturi proclaimed on an ultra-Orthodox radio station. “We need to separate the children and women and kill the adults in Gaza. We are being too considerate.”
The international community cannot ignore the horrifying reality on the ground. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that 80% of Gaza has been designated an Israeli-militarized zone, with much of the population ordered to leave.
This has effectively created a “no-go zone” for the people of Gaza. Guterres stressed that without rapid and continuous humanitarian aid, “more people will die,” and that the long-term consequences for the entire population would be catastrophic.
Palestinians in Gaza are currently enduring the cruellest phase of this brutal conflict, facing not only the violence of airstrikes and military occupation but also the collapse of vital infrastructure, medical services, and access to food and water.
The UK government, led by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, has taken a rare stand, calling Israel’s military actions in Gaza “morally unjustifiable.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has described the situation as “intolerable,” and humanitarian aid is one of the few points of consensus in the UK’s response.
In an important shift, Lammy announced the suspension of trade talks with Israel, and the UK has imposed sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers operating illegally in the West Bank. However, these sanctions are limited and notably exclude Israeli military personnel and officials involved in the violence.
The UK government continues to refuse to ban arms sales to Israel or impose broader economic sanctions.
The UK’s response is, at best, a half-hearted attempt to hold Israel accountable for its actions. Even the suspension of trade talks, while significant, is temporary. The UK has been careful not to disrupt its existing trade relationship with Israel too drastically.
When pressed about whether the UK would suspend trade with Israel entirely, a spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer confirmed to the Muslim News that “our existing trading relationship with Israel will not stop.” In essence, the UK has stopped short of taking the decisive action needed to put pressure on Israel to cease its occupation and attacks.
This hesitation contrasts sharply with the UK’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where sweeping sanctions were imposed almost immediately.
If the West can sanction Russia for invading a European nation, why does it fail to act decisively against Israel, which has been occupying Palestinian lands for over half a century? Since October 2023, more than 50,000 Palestinians, including 17,000 children, 916 infants under the age of one, 4,365 children aged one to five, and 6,101 between six and twelve have been killed by Israeli forces—an appalling death toll that continues to rise with every passing day.
In the face of this continued violence, the UK, Canada, and France have occasionally reiterated their support for a future Palestinian state, but the question remains: When? Are they willing to act now, or will they continue to let this crisis unfold with little more than empty promises?
Ethnic cleansing in Gaza must end. A permanent ceasefire must be implemented. Humanitarian aid must flow freely into Gaza without obstruction. Hostages must be released. And, most urgently, the Israeli army must withdraw from Gaza. The world cannot remain silent in the face of such suffering.
The question we must ask ourselves is: When will the West join the rest of humanity? It is clear that the lives of Palestinians are valued differently by Western governments. The fact that Palestinians are not Europeans does not mean they are not human. Does human rights have a skin colour?
It is time for the West to wake up to the reality of Palestinian suffering. It is time for the international community to stop standing by while Israel continues its slaughter of men, women, children, and infants.
It is time for the West to hold Israel accountable, not just with words, but with actions that reflect the moral urgency of this situation.
Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces plans for a full military incursion and occupation of the Gaza Strip—marking a dangerous escalation in the ongoing conflict. (Photo credit: Jolanda Flubacher/World Economic Forum)
