Israel-Gaza latest: Netanyahu says all of Gaza will be under Israeli control ‘in the end’ – UK Times

Palestinians in Gaza were still desperately waiting for the food aid to arrive despite mounting pressure on the Israeli government to ease its military offensive and allow more humanitarian supplies into the territory.

The Israeli military continued its renewed attack on Gaza overnight on Wednesday, killing at least 82 including a week-old baby and several women, Gaza’s hospital officials said.

The ongoing attacks come despite international and domestic pressure to allow essential humanitarian aid to flow to 2 million Palestinians in Gaza on the brink of a famine after an 11-week blockade.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently giving a press conference.

After he claimed Israel has probably killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, he said: “All of Gaza Strip will be under the security control of Israel.”

Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a press conference, as pressure continues to mount on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza and to scale back its military offensive.

He has said Israel has probably killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, and that if there is an opportunity for a temporary ceasefire and hostage deal “Israel will be open to it”, Reuters reported.

Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold a press conference in the next few minutes.

The Israeli prime minister will speak at his first press conference in five months, as pressure continues to mount on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza and to scale back its military offensive.

We will bring you the latest updates here.

People in Gaza have described the enclave as “hell on earth”, as Israel continues to bombard the strip and supplies run out.

ActionAid said staff at their partner organisation in Gaza, WEFAQ, had been forced to evacuate their offices and homes.

The charity’s emergency response manager in Gaza, Alaa, who was also forcibly displaced from his home in Deir Al-Balah, said people were fleeing with just the clothes on their backs while hungry and exhausted.

“Gaza is hell on the earth,” he said. “We live under non-stop bombing along with starvation…The situation is beyond impossible.”

Riham Jafari, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator at ActionAid Palestine, said: “There are simply no words to describe the horror people in Gaza are living through right now, with the entire strip under intense attack and virtually no food or other essentials available.

“Every single day the news from our colleagues and partners in Gaza gets more unbearable. “

Humanitarian aid is still yet to reach Palestinian people in Gaza, the UN has said.

Two days after Israel lifted an 11-week blockade and began allowing limited deliveries through the Kerem Shalom crossing, it is yet to be distributed to starving civillians in the enclave.

“So far … none of the supplies have been able to leave the Kerem Shalom loading area,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

They added that it was because Israeli authorities had only allowed access within Gaza “that we felt was insecure” and where looting was likely due to the prolonged deprivation.

Israel continued to pound the Gaza Strip with airstrikes on Wednesday as it resisted international pressure to halt its revamped attacks on the devastated enclave.

Scores of Palestinians were killed, including several women and a one-week-old baby, with at least 500 killed in the past week as Israel launches its new offensive, “Operation Gideon’s Chariots”.

Here’s a look at what Israel is doing in Gaza:

Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold his first press conference in five months later today, as pressure continues to mount on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza and to scale back its military offensive.

Netanyahu’s office said he would speak at 8.15pm in Jerusalem (6.15pm British time), according to the Times of Israel.