Israeli forces have continued their bombardment of the Gaza Strip, killing at least 82 Palestinians. The military has also blocked desperately needed food aid from entering the enclave in amounts sufficient to halt famine. Meanwhile, diplomatic fallout is growing as several countries, including France, Spain, and the UK, have summoned Israeli ambassadors over the incident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will retain control of all of Gaza when its military assault ends. He added that the country would be ready for a potential “temporary” halt to its bombardment to release remaining captives. The US has also expressed concern over Israel’s actions, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the country is “very concerned” about South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel.
The situation on the ground remains dire, with medical teams facing dire conditions amid supply shortages. Amnesty International has called for “firm action” to stop Israel’s genocide, including halting all military support and implementing ICC arrest warrants. The UN chief’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, has confirmed that no humanitarian supplies have been able to leave the Kernal border, where 90 truckloads of goods were collected by the United Nations.
As the situation continues to unfold, diplomatic efforts are underway to push Israel to ensure “adequate humanitarian aid gets to the population”. Canada has joined other countries in condemning Israel’s actions and has pledged to take further concrete actions if the country does not cease its bombardment. Meanwhile, Palestinian villages have been targeted by Israeli forces, with two Palestinians sustaining wounds after being physically assaulted.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The court said there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that they intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/5/21/live-israel-blocking-food-medicine-has-led-to-326-deaths-in-gaza