Israel-Gaza latest: UK condemns Israel over ‘monstrous’ blockade as UN says no aid distributed so far – UK Times

Israel’s almost two-year-long offensive in Gaza has killed more than 28,000 women and girls, UN Women said.

At least one woman and one girl on average have been killed every hour in attacks by Israeli forces since they launched their retaliatory attack on the Strip in October 2023, according to UN Women’s analysis.

Among those killed, thousands were mothers, leaving behind devastated children, families, and communities, the agency said, adding that these figures underscore the shattering human toll of the conflict, and of lives and futures lost too soon.

“Since the ceasefire collapsed in March 2025, conditions have deteriorated further in Gaza, compounded by nearly nine weeks of an ongoing blockade on humanitarian aid. The entire population in Gaza is rapidly running out of food and essential supplies with increasing risks of famine,” the agency said.

“This means every woman and girl, (more than 1 million) is facing catastrophic levels of hunger. Women and girls are trapped, facing displacement, rising maternal mortality rates, and a severe lack of safety and protection mechanisms.”

As the UN warned that 14,000 babies risked death from malnutrition by Thursday without urgent aid, there was a sense that, by the time foreign secretary David Lammy got to his feet, it was already too late and not enough.

As David Lammy announces the suspension of trade talks with Israel and new sanctions over the Gaza humanitarian crisis, political editor David Maddox explains why action wasn’t taken sooner:

The British government has imposed sanctions on a far-right Israeli settler known as the “godmother” of the movement.

Daniella Weiss, 79, is among the three individuals and four entities involved in the settler movement that were sanctioned by the British government yesterday over Israel’s “monstrous” 11-week aid blockade and renewed military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Ms Weiss leads the group Nachala, which has a stated goal of enhancing West Bank settlements and has openly planned construction of unauthorised outposts.

The group has also been sanctioned by the UK.

“I’m not afraid of sanctions,” Ms Weiss told the Associated Press last year.

Ms Weiss, described by the UK as a “high-profile extremist settler leader”, was a key focus of the recent Louis Theroux BBC documentary Settlers, which shone a light on the tactics of Israeli settlers in the Palestinian West Bank.

The UK has described her as having been involved in “threatening, perpetrating, promoting and supporting, acts of aggression and violence against Palestinian individuals”.

Britain has issued fresh sanctions against Israel over its “morally unjustifiable” escalation of violence in Gaza, and demanded an end to its “cruel and indefensible” 11-week block on humanitarian aid.

Foreign secretary David Lammy condemned the “monstrous” situation as the UN warned that 14,000 Palestinian babies could die by Thursday unless action is taken to ease the crisis, which has left civilians severely malnourished.

He announced the suspension of trade talks with Israel, imposed sanctions on three individuals and four entities involved in the settler movement, and said Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions were “wholly disproportionate” and “utterly counterproductive”.

A University of Cambridge college has announced it will divest from arms companies following student protests.

King’s College said on Tuesday that its governing body has voted to “adopt a new responsible investment policy” to align with the values of its community.

It comes after pro-Palestine protesters staged demonstrations and set up encampments against the violence in Gaza at Cambridge University last year.

Under the new policy, King’s College’s financial investments will exclude companies that are involved in activities “generally recognised as illegal or contravening global norms, such as occupation”.

It will also exclude companies which produce military and nuclear weapons, weapons restricted by international treaty, or companies that produce key or dedicated components of such weapons.

No humanitarian aid has been distributed yet in the Gaza Strip, the UN said on Tuesday evening.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that despite more supplies being dropped off on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing on Tuesday, none have reached the starving population.

“Today, one of our teams waited several hours for the Israeli green light to access the Kerem Shalom area and collect the nutrition supplies. Unfortunately, they were not able to to bring those supplies into our warehouse,” Dujarric said.

The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew writes:

My friends in Gaza – civilians who woke up on 7 October 2023 like the rest of the world, clueless, shocked, and scared – are on the run again this week. For the eighth time.

Israel bombed the building next to their home last week; blowing their neighbours – again, women, children – to pieces and burying them under more rubble.

Now the Israeli military is issuing new sweeping “evacuation” orders – dangerous directives that make no sense in the nightmare reality on the ground.

Under Israel’s total blockade, these friends struggle to eat, sometimes resorting to rotten food. They struggle to get clean water. They struggle to get nutrients to their young baby. They have lost dozens of extended family members. They have done nothing to deserve this.

Israeli forces killed at least 55 Palestinians in airstrikes in Gaza on Tuesday alone, local medics said.

Israel continued to bombard the enclave despite mounting international pressure to halt military operations and allow unimpeded deliveries of aid.

The violence has left Gaza in ruins and its population facing a worsening hunger crisis.