As the world’s attention focuses on the war on Lebanon and the potential for escalation with Iran, on Saturday, Israel once again launched a major ground offensive into northern Gaza. It has issued new evacuation orders for the entirety of the north and large parts of Gaza City (as well as Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis further south). According to the UN, 400,000 Palestinians are now trapped in the north and this offensive is likely to further hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid and second stage of the administration of the polio vaccine.

Israel is also subjecting Jabalia refugee camp to its third ground assault, after all but destroying it when it besieged it in May. Airstrikes and artillery fire has killed scores, including at least 11 children, in just three days.

Although claiming that it is seeking to prevent Hamas from regrouping, it now barely looks to hide its genocidal and colonial intent. The three main hospitals have been issued expulsion orders and the UN has warned that it has already been forced to evacuate several shelters for the displaced. On Tuesday, Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the few still functioning in the north, was ordered to evacuate all its patients and wounded within 24 hours and its director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya fears that it will suffer the same fate as Al-Shifa, destroyed in April.

Reacting to Israel’s escalating violence in northern Gaza, Ismail Patel, Chair of Friends of Al-Aqsa, said, “Over a year into the genocide, it seems like Israel is engaging in a perpetual cycle of violence across the Gaza Strip. Using the pretext of “destroying Hamas” to indiscriminately punish the Palestinian people, Israel continues to engage in war crime after war crime in order to ethnically cleanse northern Gaza and pave the way for Israeli control and occupation. Israel has shown that there is no end to its killings, which threatens to engulf the region, and its allies continue with their policy of appeasement. By continuing to provide military intelligence, diplomatic cover and arms, the UK is complicit. It is past time that this government take meaningful action against Israel’s genocidal regime and impose a complete arms embargo and support international efforts to hold it to account.”