International condemnation grew Saturday over Israel’s decision for a military takeover of Gaza City, while tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in what local media called one of the largest anti-government protests in recent months following 22 months of war.
Ceasefire efforts appeared to be reviving with Israel’s announcement. US special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to meet with Qatar’s prime minister in Spain on Saturday to discuss a new proposal to end the war, according to two officials familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with the media, reports AP.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar are preparing a new ceasefire framework that would include the release of all hostages — dead and alive — in one go in return for the war’s end and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, two Arab officials have said.
Health officials said that 20 Palestinians seeking aid were shot dead Saturday and 11 adults died of malnutrition-related causes in the past 24 hours, as the criticism of Israel came with pleas to allow far more food to reach people in the besieged enclave.
Hostages’ families pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid new fears for the 50 remaining hostages, with 20 of them thought to be alive and struggling.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held in Gaza, called on Israelis including the powerful Histadrut labor union to “help us save the hostages, the soldiers and the state of Israel” and appeared to call for a general strike: “Shut the country down.”
A joint statement by nine countries including Germany, Britain, France and Canada said that they “strongly reject” Israel’s decision for the large-scale military operation, saying it will worsen the “catastrophic humanitarian situation,” endanger hostages and further risk mass displacement. They said any attempts at annexation or settlement in Gaza violate international law.
A separate statement by more than 20 countries including ceasefire mediators Egypt and Qatar along with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates called Israel’s decision a “dangerous and unacceptable escalation.” Meanwhile, Russia said Israel’s plan will aggravate the “already extremely dramatic situation” in Gaza.
The UN Security Council planned an emergency meeting Sunday.
Israel’s military said that at least 106 packages of aid were airdropped Saturday as Italy and Greece joined the effort for the first time. Footage from Italy’s defence ministry showed packages parachuted over Gaza’s dry and devastated landscape.
Barefoot children collected rice, pasta and lentils that spilled from packages onto the ground.
“This way is not for humans, it is for animals,” said one man, Mahmoud Hawila, who said he was stabbed while trying to secure an airdropped package.
Israel alleges, without giving evidence, that Hamas systematically diverts aid from the existing UN-led system, which denies it. That system has called for more of the trucks waiting outside Gaza to be allowed not just into the territory, but safely to destinations inside it for distribution.
With temperatures reaching above 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) in Gaza, families fanned themselves with pieces of cardboard or metal trays and slept on the ground outside their tents, while some women collected water well before dawn.
“My children cry day and night. My son scratches his body because of the heat,” said Nida Abu Hamad, whose displaced family shelters in Gaza City.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the new adult deaths from malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours brought the total to 114 since it began counting such deaths in June.
Israel is “forcing Palestinians into a state of near-starvation to the point that they abandon their land voluntarily,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a news conference in Egypt.
The toll from hunger is not included in the ministry’s death toll of 61,300 Palestinians in the war.