#Gaza “plunged back into a world of fear and death”

Deadly Israeli airstrikes have killed over 400 people in Gaza with hundreds of others injured. It follows on from Israel’s two week blockade preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid, and cutting off electricity supplies. Shocked by the attacks, Peace campaigners in Orkney will be holding a vigil on Saturday 22 March on the Kirk Green,…

theorkneynews

March 19, 2025

3–5 minutes

airstrikes, Amnesty International, Gaza, genocide, Israel, Orkney, vigil

Shocked by the attacks, Peace campaigners in Orkney will be holding a vigil on Saturday 22 March on the Kirk Green, outside St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall between 1 and 2pm to show support for the people of Gaza.

The Cathedral in the background and in front are those attending the vigil and the names of those killed — Image credit Anna Laird

In Geneva, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation in Gaza as one of “intolerable” suffering for civilians. He underscored that the ceasefire must be fully respected, and aid must flow unimpeded across the Strip with hostages released unconditionally.

The airstrikes which took place through the night killing over 400 was the largest single-day child death toll in the past year with 174 deaths of children and babies being recorded.

The Executive Director of the UN’s Children’s Fund, Catherine Russell described the killings as “beyond horrifying”. She said:

“Today, Gaza’s one million children – who have endured more than 15 months of war – have been plunged back into a world of fear and death,” she warned, stressing “attacks and the violence must stop – now.

“Some of the strikes reportedly hit makeshift shelters with sleeping children and families, another deadly reminder that nowhere is safe in Gaza.

“The latest attacks come as lifesaving aid remains blocked from entering Gaza, compounding the risks to children. It has been sixteen days since the last truck delivering humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza. In addition, electricity has been cut to the main desalination plant, significantly reducing the amount of potable water.”

The attacks by Israel have been condemned by many world leaders.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy described Israel’s blockade of aid as ‘a breach of international law’.

Ambassador James Kariuki, the UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN told the UN Security Council that “Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. “

He said:

“After 17 days, Israel continues to block all aid entering Gaza. Crossing points have been shut off. Bakeries are closing. Hospitals and desalination plants are running on generators that could stop at any moment.

“This is horrifying and unacceptable.”

The UK, however, continues to state that Israel has a right to defend itself.

Even Germany, a supplier of arms and supporter of Israel described the scenes of burning tents and the hundreds of civilian deaths as ‘shocking’.

Convicted felon and President of the United States, Donald Trump, having killed over 50 people with more than 100 injured in American airstrikes on Yemen, gave his full backing to Israel. According to an interview on Trump supporting Fox News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the American President had been consulted by Israel before the airstrikes took place and that he had given it the green light to go ahead.

The First Minister of Scotland posted on social media “The renewed suffering we are seeing in Gaza is completely unacceptable. We cannot allow more innocent lives to be lost. Israel must stop the bombing and the ceasefire must be restored immediately as we work towards a lasting peace.”

Amnesty International said:

“Israel’s genocide and its unlawful air strikes have already caused unprecedented humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Today, we are back to square one. Since 2 March, Israel has re-imposed a total siege on Gaza blocking the entry of all humanitarian aid, medicine, and commercial supplies, including fuel and food, in flagrant violation of international law.

“Israel has also cut off electricity to Gaza’s main operational desalination plant. And today the Israeli military has once again started issuing mass ‘evacuation’ orders displacing Palestinians.

“The resumption of Israel’s attacks also puts the lives of 24 remaining Israeli hostages believed to be alive at risk. This is also a cruel blow for hostages and Palestinian detainees as well as for their families. We remind all parties that civilian hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians must be released.

“The world cannot stand by and allow Israel to continue inflicting staggering levels of death and suffering on Palestinians in Gaza. We urge all states to uphold their obligations to prevent and punish genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law, by pressing Israel to end its attacks and to facilitate the unconditional and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid.

“States must come together and demand an immediate resumption of an enduring ceasefire, an end to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and the dismantling of its system of apartheid and unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.”

Fiona Grahame

2 responses to “#Gaza “plunged back into a world of fear and death””

berniebell1955

March 19, 2025 at 10:02 am

It’s quite long, but…….
CAMPAIGN AGAINST ARMS TRADE: STATEMENT ON ISRAEL’S LATEST ASSAULT ON GAZA
Press Release – 18th March 2025
The genocidal attack that Israel has unleashed on the people of Gaza is designed to inflict maximum suffering and terror on Palestinians.
Israel has killed more than 400 Palestinians in dozens of airstrikes across Gaza. More than 600 people are reported injured. Israel has also issued evacuation orders for parts of Gaza, suggesting that an assault involving troops on the ground may be imminent.
The families searching for their loved ones, the dead, including children, lying in stained white sheets – these are the people whose death and suffering is supported politically and militarily by our government.
This latest assault follows the pattern of actions and intent that has been pursued by the Israeli government since 7th October 2023 – acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, Palestinian people. A temporary partial ‘ceasefire’ was not an end to the genocide.
Israel has been violating the ceasefire agreement for weeks, increasing attacks and blocking all aid for over two weeks including food and fuel. Since the ceasefire was announced and before today’s assault, Israel has killed more than 155 Palestinians in Gaza, and hundreds of others have been injured, as a result of Israel’s continued military assaults and airstrikes.
In October 2023, Western leaders jumped at the chance to offer Israel impunity for the gravest of crimes, crimes that Israel promised to commit, and Palestinians continue to live in the hell of that impunity. The precedent that was set and excused by political leaders in the UK including the current Prime Minister – cutting off food, water and electricity, blocking humanitarian aid, collective punishment, all of which are illegal under international law – has now become one of the defining features of Israel’s genocide.
Western leaders failed to hold up the basic human rights of Palestinian people. Let us not forget that even calling for a ceasefire was initially beyond the current Labour leadership, even though Israel’s stated goal was to eliminate the Palestinian people. In November 2024 David Lammy wrote “But a ceasefire now would just embolden Hamas”.
Our government continues to support Israel politically and militarily through arms exports, including for F-35 jets which are used to drop 2,000 lbs bombs on Palestinians. In total, Campaign Against Arms Trade estimates that the UK has approved and/or delivered at least £100m in military equipment to Israel since 7th October 2023. Labour approved almost £11 million single arms export licences to Israel in its first three months in office, according to newly released arms export licensing data. The data also shows that Labour approved an open licence for “components for combat aircraft”. This licence appears completely incompatible with its supposed commitment not to supply military equipment that could be used in Gaza.
We know that the Government is well aware of the risk of violations of international law because it has admitted it. The Government announced in September 2024 that it found Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law (IHL), and there was a clear risk that UK arms exports might be used to commit serious violations of IHL. It introduced a partial suspension of around 30 arms export licences to Israel.
However the UK’s largest, most financially significant and deadly export to Israel, 15% of every F-35 jet that is dropping bombs on Gaza, was exempt despite the government confirming this is a clear risk of serious IHL violations. This was an unprecedented decision. No other UK government has ever concluded that this risk exists and continued to export arms.
These jets have been operating in Gaza armed with munitions, including 2,000-pound bombs – explosives with a lethal radius up to 365m, an area the equivalent of 58 football pitches. Trump authorized the release of thousands of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, bombs which will travel to Israel via the Mediterranean for years to come, including through overseas British territory such as military bases on Cyprus and supported by Gibraltar.
The UK Ministers who have been pushing so forcefully to allow for the continued transfer of F-35 parts and components made in the UK to Israel, today will they confirm if the jets used to bomb Gaza last night were F-35s? Will they confirm if UK-made parts and components were used to drop these bombs and unleash this devastation?
This F-35 jet is produced primarily by Lockheed Martin in the US, with BAE Systems the prime contractor in the UK. Arms companies in the UK have been trying to whitewash their image and promote the alleged ‘social value contribution’ they make. But we won’t hear from BAE Systems today, the company won’t be raising any concerns about the crimes these jets are being used to commit. The silence of UK Ministers and arms company executives is deafening.
We demand a full two-way arms embargo with Israel.
We demand an end to trade and military cooperation with Israel.
We demand an end to the UK government’s complicity in and military support for genocide, occupation and apartheid.
Katie Fallon, Advocacy Manager at CAAT said:
“The genocidal attack that Israel has unleashed on the people of Gaza is designed to inflict maximum suffering and terror on Palestinians. Israel has been violating the ceasefire agreement for weeks, increasing attacks and blocking all aid for over two weeks including food and fuel. Our government continues to support Israel politically and militarily through arms exports, including for F-35 jets which are used to drop 2,000-pound bombs on Palestinians.
“We demand a full two way arms embargo with Israel. We demand an end to the UK government’s complicity in and military support for genocide, occupation and apartheid.”

See all of CAAT’s information resources on Israel and UK arms sales to Israel here.

https://caat.org.uk/donate/

Loading…

Reply
Joy Hamilton

March 19, 2025 at 3:34 pm

Unconscionable!

Loading…

Reply