by HAMMAD SARFRAZ
In its sixth month, the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza has resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 33,000 Palestinian casualties, a majority of whom are children. The indiscriminate bombing has inflicted widespread devastation on the enclave’s infrastructure, including hospitals, exacerbating the region’s urgent need for humanitarian aid.
Now, experts are sounding the alarm over an impending crisis in northern Gaza, where half the population is confronting severe hunger. According to the latest report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification global initiative, 300,000 Palestinian civilians in the war-ravaged enclave teeter on the brink of famine, with as many as 1.1 million people expected to suffer severe famine conditions by July, leading to starvation, destitution, and malnutrition.
Despite mounting evidence of an escalating humanitarian catastrophe, major world powers have displayed tepid commitment to measures that could prevent further loss of life and destruction – that includes the implementation of a ceasefire. Even after a United Nations resolution last month called for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan, mediators continue efforts to broker the first prolonged truce of the conflict, aiming to expedite aid delivery to the 2.3 million residents of the Palestinian territory.
To compound the tragedy, a devastating airstrike this week resulted in the loss of seven members of World Central Kitchen (WCK). José Andrés, the founder of the relief organisation, has pointed fingers at Israeli forces in Gaza, alleging a deliberate targeting of his aid workers ‘car by car.’ Israeli authorities, however, have dismissed the incident, referring to it simply as a ‘grave mistake,’ despite the loss of WCK workers hailing from Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK, the US, and their Palestinian colleague. This latest attack on humanitarian workers has prompted several charities to halt food deliveries to Palestinians teetering on the edge of starvation. Reports from Cyprus reveal that ships carrying approximately 240 tons of aid from the charitable group were denied entry to Gaza just a day after arrival. Furthermore, other humanitarian organisations have ceased operations in Gaza, citing concerns for their staff’s safety.
Amidst these complexities, the protracted conflict in Gaza has become a litmus test for leadership, diplomacy, and commitment to peace among some of Israel’s key allies, particularly the US and UK. Despite voicing concerns over mounting civilian casualties, these nations seem hesitant to back their rhetoric with substantial action, underscoring the delicate balance between expressing humanitarian concerns and maintaining strategic alliances amidst the escalating crisis.
Recent reports from US media outlets indicate that the Biden White House has authorised the transfer of a substantial $2.5 billion weapons package to Israel. Similarly, Britain has pledged comparable commitments, with its Conservative Prime Minister staunchly affirming his government’s unwavering support for Israel.
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Express Tribune: There has been overwhelming support for Palestinians in the streets, yet the UK government displayed unresponsive to calls for a ceasefire. Why has the British government not been paying attention to public opinion?
Jeremy Corbyn: Hundreds of thousands of us have demonstrated week after week for a ceasefire in Gaza. Our marches are made up of every faith, every language and every background, united in a demand to end human suffering. The government knows it does not have the support of the British people when it refuses to call for a ceasefire. That’s why it is deliberately distorting our demands for peace. We saw the same thing in 2003, when a million of us marched against the Iraq War. We were ignored. We were demonised. Unfortunately, we were proven right. Today, the government of the day is ignoring the popular demand for peace once more, showing contempt for both the Palestinian people and our democracy back home.
ET: What does the British government gain by minimising Palestinian suffering? What prevented the Sunak government from calling out Israel over its actions in Gaza?
JC: The failure to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza represents a catastrophic failure of political leadership, and has exposed a British foreign policy that is inconsistent, unethical, and immoral. That’s why so many of us campaigned – and continue to campaign – for a foreign policy that puts peace-building at its core.
ET: The British government recognises Israel but not Palestine. What are your thoughts on this policy? How can Britain believe in a two-state solution without acknowledging Palestine?
JC: It is laughable for the government to insist it believes in a two-state solution when they consistently refuse to recognise one half of it. The ongoing denial of justice, human rights and freedom to the Palestinian people is an utter disgrace. That’s why, when I was Labour Party leader, I vowed that one of the first things we would have done if elected would be to immediately recognise a Palestinian state. And that recognition should be made by any elected representative who is serious about bringing about peace and stability to the region.
ET: Israeli forces have killed over 33,000 people, most of them children. Can Israel bring back the 1,400 people killed by the bombing of hospitals? What are your thoughts on Israel’s justification of its actions?
JC: The attack on October 7th was horrific and wrong. That cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Over the past few months, human beings have been forced to endure a level of horror that should haunt us forever. Grieving mothers, obliterated neighbourhoods, doctors performing amputations without anaesthesia, and thousands of orphaned children, the world has witnessed it all. That’s why I have consistently called for a ceasefire, and it is unconscionable that so many of my parliamentary colleagues refused to do the same. A ceasefire is the most basic demand for an end to the killings — and it is a demand that should have been made by any representative that believes all human life is of equal worth.
The Express Tribune for more