Israel Must Let More Aid Into Gaza, U.K. Tells Israeli Official
After meeting with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, had strong words about conditions in Gaza that “must change.”
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Meeting with a member of Israel’s war cabinet on Wednesday, Britain’s foreign secretary said Israel must help get far more food and other supplies into the Gaza Strip to address the humanitarian crisis there, the secretary said after they spoke.
“I once again pressed Israel to increase the flow of aid,” the foreign secretary, David Cameron, said in a statement. “We are still not seeing improvements on the ground. This must change.”
The Israeli cabinet member, Benny Gantz, a former army chief, visited London after hearing similar messages in Washington from U.S. officials. Mr. Gantz’s office said that he also met Wednesday with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Mr. Sunak’s national security adviser, Tim Barrow.
A statement about the meetings released by Mr. Gantz’s office did not mention such prodding. It said that he spoke of the importance of pressuring Hamas to release hostages, of “the just and necessary goal of removing the threat of Hamas,” and of Israel’s appreciation for Britain's support of Israel, particularly in combating Houthi militants in Yemen who fire missiles at ships.
On Monday and Tuesday, Mr. Gantz held closed-door meetings with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s national security adviser. The trip by Mr. Gantz, the top political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was not authorized by Mr. Netanyahu’s government, the prime minister’s office has said.
Ms. Harris praised Israel’s “constructive approach” to seeking a six-week cease-fire but urged the government to do more to allow desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Mr. Cameron, a former prime minister, said he told Mr. Gantz on Wednesday that there must be a pause in fighting to get “lifesaving supplies” into Gaza, where the threat of famine is rising steadily, and to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and its allies. In addition, he called for more land and sea access routes to deliver aid to Gaza, more robust distribution of that aid within Gaza and more types of aid, including shelters and supplies to repair the territory’s devastated infrastructure.
He also expressed concern about the prospect of an Israeli offensive into Rafah, the southern city where more than half of Gaza’s population, displaced from homes elsewhere, has sought refuge.
Mr. Cameron also raised the question of whether Israel was in violation of international law in its conduct of the war.
“Israel has a legal responsibility to ensure aid is available for civilians,” he said. “That responsibility has consequences, including when we as the U.K. assess whether Israel is compliant with international humanitarian law.”
Mr. Gantz’s high-level meetings have rankled Mr. Netanyahu and his right-wing allies, exposing deepening divisions among the leaders shepherding Israel’s war in Gaza.
Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu belong to different parties; they were adversaries in recent elections and they have often sat on opposing sides of issues. But after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Mr. Gantz joined Mr. Netanyahu’s emergency war cabinet.
The far-right Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said on Knesset TV on Monday that it was “too bad” that Mr. Gantz’s trip had not been coordinated with the prime minister, adding: “We must show unity and speak with one voice to the whole world.”
In Washington, Mr. Austin asked for Mr. Gantz’s support to enable more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and emphasized the need for a plan to protect civilians before Israel pushes into Rafah, the Pentagon said in a summary of the meeting. Mr. Blinken pressed on Mr. Gantz the importance of reaching an agreement soon on the release of hostages and a pause in fighting, and urged Israel to open additional border crossings to facilitate getting supplies into the territory, according to the State Department.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, responded to a reporter’s question about whether Mr. Gantz’s meetings were a snub to the Netanyahu government by saying they had been requested by Mr. Gantz.
“It was a good opportunity to have a discussion with the war cabinet about the way in which we’re supporting Israel and the things that we want to see Israel do,” Mr. Kirby said.
