As of the current moment, Gaza has witnessed the tragic loss of over 14,000 lives, predominantly women and children, among Palestinians. The UN reports that Israel’s actions have resulted in the deaths of nearly as many Palestinian civilians in a span of two weeks as Russia has caused in Ukrainian civilian casualties over 20 months. Benjamin Netanyahu remains influential, while the number of illegal Israeli settlers in the region has risen to around 700,000. Additionally, the occupied West Bank saw more than 150 Palestinian fatalities last year, and in recent months, over 130 lives have been lost in the same area. International actors and the British government’s role in the Gaza crisis are vital to end this miserable situation. International aid for Gaza and Humanitarian assistance in Palestine by utilising Political intervention in conflict seems necessary as Relief efforts in the Middle East seem inadequate.
All the conflict made by Great Britain!
The current situation between Palestine and Israel began with the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917.
“‘His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people,”
Due to its imperial past in Palestine, Britain has a moral obligation to help solve the current war in Gaza. The British government’s role in the Gaza crisis is rooted in the very initial establishment of Israel. But as in numerous other wars, from Iraq to Afghanistan and from Libya to Ireland, it’s contributing to the abuses. Antonio Guterres said the Palestinian territories and people had been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. This vacuum was left by Britain when it abruptly terminated its mandate for Palestine in 1948. This led to the expulsion by Jewish militia of at least 700,000 Palestinians from their homeland, an estimated 85 per cent of those living in what became the new state of Israel — what Palestinians call the Nakba, “catastrophe” and occupied Palestine territories.
Government opinion vs People’s opinion
In parliament, Sunak has stood by Israel’s implementation of collective punishment in Gaza and its directive to relocate over a million individuals from the northern region, affirming the latter as “absolutely right” in the context of safeguarding civilians. Consequently, nearly 1.4 million out of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have faced internal displacement, grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis characterized by power outages, severe water scarcity, and hospitals struggling due to fuel shortages.
According to Ipsos polls, over 70% of Britons express concern about the conflict’s impact on both Palestinian and Israeli civilians. Many are inclined toward a neutral mediation role for the government or advocate for non-involvement altogether.
UN called for an immediate ceasefire, but the US and the UK refrained
Israel’s military forces have been conducting air strikes against Hamas in Gaza. The UN has said residential buildings are among the sites targeted by Israel and has raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. On October 24, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”. International aid for Gaza is limited to the aid from Egypt. Relief efforts in the Middle East are also noting more than rhetoric statements.
The UN Security Council has been considering resolutions on the issue. Recently, a solution has passed and tried to make Political intervention in the Gaza conflict. The USA vetoed the previous resolutions the USA.
In line with the US position, the UK Government has said temporary “humanitarian pauses” may be needed in the fighting for the delivery of aid and the release of hostages. This is also the position of the Labour Party, while the SNP has called for a ceasefire. The Liberal Democrats have called for a “temporary humanitarian ceasefire”. Speaking on October 18, the Foreign Secretary said he did not believe Hamas would respect a ceasefire.
Gaza situation before 7 October
Before the current crisis unfolded, the UN highlighted that Israel’s blockade had already severely weakened Gaza’s economy, rendering 80% of its population reliant on global aid. According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), last year’s report on conditions in the Palestinian territory revealed grim statistics: two-thirds of Gaza’s inhabitants were living in poverty, with an alarmingly high unemployment rate of 45%, ranking among the world’s highest.
The Unctad report underscored that Gaza’s economy had borne the brunt of a “decades-long” blockade, resulting in a significant decline exacerbated by a cessation of aid that had previously supported the living standards of the 2 million residents. The report emphasized Gaza’s harsher conditions compared to Palestinians in the West Bank, citing a 65% probability of poverty, a 41% likelihood of dropping out of the workforce due to despair, and, for job seekers, a 45% probability of unemployment. Over the years, living standards, measured by gross domestic product per capita, have plummeted by 27% since 2006.
Moreover, movement restrictions have hindered access to vital services like healthcare, affecting 80% of Gazans reliant on international assistance. Living in Gaza in 2022 meant enduring life in one of the world’s most densely populated areas, with sporadic electricity, insufficient clean water access, and an inadequate sewage system.
Different groups of people demand a ceasefire
Healthcare workers in London rallied outside the Prime Minister’s Office, pressing for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where the death toll has surged to over 14,000. Their poignant plea highlighted Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities, including hospitals, humanitarian shelters, and ambulances, citing the loss of 192 healthcare workers, 16 of whom perished while on duty.
Distressingly, 70% of primary healthcare centres and 39% of hospitals are non-operational due to damage, insecurity, and fuel shortages. Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the Labour Party, joined the attendees, later expressing on X, “Survivors know they may die, but have stayed behind to care for their patients. They haven’t given up on the Palestinian people. Neither should we. Ceasefire now.”
In a separate move, Palestinians residing in the UK with relatives in Gaza urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for a meeting, requesting his urgent intervention for a ceasefire. The letter, composed on their behalf by Tayab Ali, director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), was unveiled during a press conference in central London orchestrated by the ICJP. This grassroots action embodies the efforts of ordinary individuals striving to aid Gaza in these distressing times. All these groups demanded Political intervention in the Gaza conflict to stop the war.
The government is under pressure
Following pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London, Suella Braverman penned an opinion piece for The Times of London, which was released Thursday. In her article, she accused the police of displaying favouritism and adopting a lenient approach toward pro-Palestinian protests. Braverman labelled the demonstrators as “pro-Palestinian mobs” and referred to their actions as “hate marches.”
Simultaneously, the UK government and the Labour Party are under increasing pressure to endorse a ceasefire and advocate for upholding international laws in the conflict. This ongoing war, which has resulted in the death of 14,000 Palestinians, stands as the most devastating chapter in the 75-year-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The British government’s role in the Gaza crisis through political intervention in the Gaza conflict could end this conflict and lead to significant results.
