Netanyahu Says Starvation Claims In Gaza Are Exaggerated As Backlash Mounts Over Plans For New Israeli Offensive

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came nether unit from each sides Sunday arsenic his arguable plan to prehend Gaza City drew backlash wrong his authorities and connected nan streets of Israel, while malnutrition deaths successful nan Gaza Strip continued to climb.

At a property convention connected Sunday, a defiant Netanyahu continued to contradict location is starvation successful Gaza and claimed nan business is being exaggerated. Netanyahu only conceded location was “deprivation” successful Gaza, but said “no 1 successful Gaza would person survived aft 2 years of war” if Israel was implementing a “starvation policy.”

Netanyahu went connected to take sides nan caller subject offensive, saying Israel had “no choice” but to “finish nan job” and “defeat Hamas,” while claiming that "hundreds of assistance trucks person gone into Gaza."

But his critics connected nan near opportunity his projected caller subject violative is apt to worsen nan humanitarian situation successful Gaza and further endanger nan hostages still being held by Hamas. Protests calling for an contiguous ceasefire drew thousands of people Saturday nighttime successful Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and different Israeli cities.

And for immoderate far-right members of Netanyahu’s conjugation government, nan scheme isn’t reliable enough.

Foreign Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has pushed for Israel to enforce sovereignty complete Gaza, called it a “foolish” half-measure, saying successful a video connection Saturday nighttime that he did not support it.

Smotrich said nan projected violative was intended to unit Hamas into agreeing to a impermanent ceasefire, and that alternatively Israel needed a “sharp, clear path” to triumph complete Hamas.

The dissatisfaction expressed by Smotrich, who said he had “lost faith” successful nan premier minister, threatens to destabilize Netanyahu’s vulnerable coalition.

Israeli guidance leader Yair Lapid seized connected nan opportunity, calling connected Smotrich to subordinate him successful advancing a measure to dissolve parliament and clasp caller elections.

“In your ain words, you admitted that nan premier minister’s argumentation is not starring to a decisive result successful Gaza, is not returning our hostages, and is not winning nan war,” Lapid said successful a statement, according to nan Times of Israel. “You besides added that you tin nary longer guidelines down nan premier curate and backmost him up.”

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency gathering later Sunday to talk Israel's projected offensive, which has been condemned by Britain, France, Australia and different Western governments.

James Kariuki, nan U.K.'s lawman imperishable typical to nan U.N., called connected Israel to reverse its decision, saying nan scheme "will only deepen nan suffering of Palestinian civilians successful Gaza."

It comes amid a worsening hunger situation successful Gaza, wherever humanitarian assistance has been constricted since Israel lifted a two-and-a-half-month blockade successful May.

The Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday that 5 much people, including 2 children, had died from malnutrition and starvation successful nan past 24 hours, bringing nan full to 217, including 100 children.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of nan World Health Organization, said Thursday that astatine slightest 99 group successful Gaza, including 29 children nether property 5, person died from malnutrition this year, noting nan existent toll was astir apt higher.

The U.N. and different world organizations opportunity nan humanitarian assistance arriving successful Gaza done aerial drops and connected a mini number of trucks is acold from capable to provender nan enclave’s organization of 2 cardinal people.

On Saturday, a 14-year-old boy named Muhannad Eid died aft being struck by an assistance package that was airdropped complete Gaza, his brother, Muhammad Eid, said.

“This is an aerial humiliation, not aid,” Eid said. “We request protection. We want world protection.”

With nan latest death, 23 group person now been killed during airdrops since nan Israel-Hamas warfare began 22 months ago, according to nan Gaza authorities media office.

“We person many times warned of nan threat of these inhumane methods and person many times called for nan safe and capable introduction of assistance done onshore crossings,” it said successful a statement.

According to section wellness officials, much than 61,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, person been killed since nan warfare began connected Oct. 7, 2023, pinch Hamas’s violent onslaught connected Israel. During that attack, Hamas-led militants killed astir 1,200 group and abducted 251 others.

Of nan 50 hostages still being held by Hamas, Israel believes astir 20 are alive. Hostage advocates and Netanyahu’s ain service main person warned that expanded subject operations could put their lives successful danger.

The plan, which Netanyahu’s authorities announced Friday, outlines 5 goals for ending nan war: disarming Hamas, returning each hostages, demilitarizing Gaza, taking information power of nan area, and establishing “an replacement civilian management that is neither Hamas nor nan Palestinian Authority.”

Those preparations are expected to return weeks aliases months, a hold that hardliners successful nan Israeli authorities fearfulness could time off room for a negotiated solution that would undermine their objectives.

Experts person besides questioned whether nan scheme would protect Israelis, aliases activity astatine all.

Michael Milshtein, caput of nan Palestinian Studies Forum astatine Tel Aviv University’s Dayan Center, said nan scheme was afloat of “hollow slogans.”

“There is simply a very communal slogan: ‘We will merchandise nan hostages and conclusion Hamas astatine nan aforesaid time,’” he said. “You can’t do some simultaneously. Hamas will execute them, aliases nan IDF itself could successful nan bombing.”

Netanyahu said Sunday that his extremity was to get nan hostages retired live and retrieve nan remains of those had had died.

"If we don't do anything, we are not going to get them out," he said. "The move I'm talking astir has nan anticipation of getting them out."

There are besides questions arsenic to who would tally Gaza agelong term. Netanyahu said he intends to manus power of nan territory to “Arab forces,” adding Sunday that "several candidates" are being looked astatine for nan constitution of a caller "transitional authority."

He has not specified who that could be, speech from saying it would not beryllium Hamas aliases nan Palestinian Authority.

“That leaves nobody,” said H.A. Hellyer, a elder subordinate chap astatine nan Royal United Services Institute successful London. “No Arab state is going to beryllium Israel’s enforcer connected nan ground.”