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

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.

The Foreign Secretary has been “begged” to “save children’s lives” in Gaza as MPs from across the Commons urged him to refer to Israel’s actions in the region as a “genocide”.

David Lammy announced new measures against Israel but Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat backbenchers urged him to go further.

A number of MPs called on the Foreign Secretary to suspend all arms sales to Israel, sanction Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and to recognise a Palestinian state.

Backbenchers shouted “genocide” as Mr Lammy said in his opening statement: “We must call this what it is.

“It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

The Middle East minister told Israel’s ambassador Tzipi Hotovely that the UK will not “stand by” as Israel escalates military operations in Gaza.

“Today I summoned Israel’s Ambassador to the FCDO,” Hamish Falconer posted on X.

“I made clear the UK’s opposition to expanded military operations in Gaza and rising violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

“The UK will not stand by as this happens.”

The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it agreed with Israel to allow delivery of urgent humanitarian aid from the Gulf country to Gaza, the state news agency WAM reported.

We will bring you more details when more information becomes available.

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”.