UK Slams Israel’s Gaza Aid Blockade as “Affront” to UN
(MENAFN) On Tuesday, the UK forcefully criticized Israel over its stringent controls on humanitarian aid reaching Gaza’s desperate population, labeling these measures a blatant violation of the United Nations charter.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy addressed the Security Council, stating, "The devastation in Gaza is heartbreaking. Children are starving, and Israel's drip-feeding of aid has horrified the world. These are an affront to the values of the Charter of the United Nations,"
He further announced that, with history weighing heavily, the UK government plans to formally recognize the State of Palestine when the UN General Assembly convenes in New York this September—a decision Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed earlier that day.
Starmer warned that the UK would take concrete steps “unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.” This statement signals a clear effort to escalate diplomatic pressure on Israel.
Lammy outlined that in the eight weeks leading up to the General Assembly, the UK government intends to influence conditions in Gaza. Yet, he stressed that “recognition by itself will not change the situation on the ground. That is why we are taking immediate steps as well, like air dropping humanitarian supplies, along with our partners in Jordan, getting injured children into British hospitals and pressing for the resumption of the United Nations humanitarian assistance.”
He added, “We also believe that a lasting ceasefire requires urgent progress on governance and security in Gaza. We are therefore working with allies on a plan for long-term political negotiations and a two-state solution.”
Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders has highlighted a sharp increase in child malnutrition within Gaza, reporting that cases among children under five have tripled in recent weeks amid the worsening humanitarian crisis.
These alarming statistics come as Gaza’s Health Ministry revealed on Monday that 14 Palestinians—including two children—have succumbed to hunger and malnutrition in the last 24 hours alone, pushing the total deaths since October 7, 2023, to at least 147. Children account for at least 88 of these fatalities.
The UN World Food Program sounded the alarm Tuesday, describing the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report not merely as a “warning” but as a critical “call to action.”
The agency warned that Gaza is confronting “the worst-case scenario of famine” due to ongoing military conflict, massive displacement, and the complete breakdown of access to food and essential services.
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