An Israeli minister stated on Wednesday that Israel might threaten to annex parts of Gaza to intensify pressure on Hamas. This proposition would deliver a severe blow to Palestinian aspirations for statehood on land currently under Israeli occupation. The comment by security cabinet member Zeev Elkin came a day after Britain announced it would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes steps to alleviate suffering in Gaza and secures a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
France, which last week declared its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September, joined Saudi Arabia in issuing a joint declaration on Tuesday, also supported by Egypt, Qatar, and the Arab League. This declaration outlined steps towards implementing a two-state solution. As a component of ending the Gaza war, they stipulated that Hamas “must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.”
Israel has consistently denounced moves to recognize a Palestinian state, characterizing them as rewarding Hamas for its October 2023 attack that precipitated the current war.
Potential Ultimatum for Hamas
Accusing Hamas of deliberately prolonging ceasefire negotiations to extract Israeli concessions, Elkin told public broadcaster Kan that Israel might present the group with an ultimatum to reach a deal before further expanding its military operations. “The most painful thing for our enemy is losing lands,” he stated. “A clarification to Hamas that the moment they play games with us they will lose land that they will never get back would be a significant pressure tool.”
Mediation efforts aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and the release of remaining captives held by Hamas stalled last week, with both sides attributing blame for the impasse. Israel is facing escalating international pressure over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where a global hunger monitor has warned of an unfolding worst-case scenario of famine. The Gaza health ministry reported seven additional hunger-related deaths on Wednesday, including a two-year-old girl with a pre-existing health condition.
‘Monstrous’ Act
Families of Israeli captives still held in Gaza have appealed for any recognition of a Palestinian state to be withheld until their loved ones are returned. “Such recognition is not a step toward peace, but rather a clear violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes,” asserted the Hostages Family Forum.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday stated that Britain’s decision “rewards Hamas’ monstrous terrorism.” Israel made similar condemnations last week following France’s announcement. Two Hamas officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the demand for the group to surrender its weapons to the PA, which currently maintains limited control over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas has previously rejected calls to disarm, while Israel has ruled out allowing the PA to govern Gaza.
Netanyahu affirmed this month his desire for peace with Palestinians but described any future independent state as a potential platform for Israel’s destruction, thus asserting that security control must remain with Israel. His cabinet includes far-right figures who openly advocate for the annexation of all Palestinian land. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated on Tuesday that reestablishing Jewish settlements in Gaza was “closer than ever,” referring to Gaza as “an inseparable part of the Land of Israel.”
Aid Inflow Insufficient
A two-year-old girl receiving treatment for a buildup of brain fluid tragically died overnight from hunger, her father told Reuters on Wednesday. “Mekkah, my little daughter, died of malnutrition and the lack of medication,” Salah al-Gharably stated by phone from Deir Al-Balah. “Doctors said the baby has to be fed a certain type of milk…but there is no milk,” he explained. “She starved. We stood helpless.”
The deaths from starvation and malnutrition overnight have tragically raised the toll from such causes to 154, including at least 89 children, since the war’s commencement, with most occurring in recent weeks. On Sunday, the Israeli military announced measures to ease the supply of food into Gaza, including daily pauses in military operations in some areas and designated corridors for aid.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the United Nations and its partners had managed to bring more food into Gaza during the first two days of these pauses, but the volume was “still far from enough.” OCHA further noted in an update: “Most aid is still being offloaded by crowds before reaching where it is supposed to go. But market monitoring shows prices for basic goods are starting to drop, which could point to better operating conditions if aid flows further increase.”
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched attacks on communities in southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 captives taken, according to Israeli counts. Since then, Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip has reportedly killed over 60,000 people and devastated much of the territory, as stated by the Gaza health ministry.
