LEICESTER, United Kingdom – A ceasefire established in January between Israel and Hamas broke down on Tuesday, after Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, killing over 400 Palestinians.
The territory’s health ministry says women and children are among the dead in the surprise bombardment, which seems to be renewing a 17-month-old conflict that began after Gaza attacked Israel in October 2023.
Over 1,200 Israelis were killed in that attack, and Israel responded with an invasion of Gaza that has so far left over 60,000 Palestinians dead.
CAFOD, the international aid agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has condemned the renewal of violence, and noted it comes just two weeks after Israel imposed a blockade preventing the entry of aid, leaving the people of Gaza without sufficient food and essential supplies.
“CAFOD is appalled by Israel’s renewed bombing of Gaza. A return to war will cause further suffering and loss of life – and may prevent the release of hostages,” said Elizabeth Funnell, CAFOD’s Country Program Representative for the Middle East.
“The UK government must urgently and unequivocally condemn the atrocities committed by Israeli forces overnight and exert all diplomatic pressure to restore the ceasefire and ensure the sustained delivery of much needed humanitarian aid,” she said.
“Furthermore, to support peace, the UK government must immediately halt arms sales in line with the International Court of Justice provisional measures to prevent their potential use in violations of international law,” Funnell continued.
“Our thoughts are with our partners who have been working tirelessly to provide support to the people of Gaza,” she said.
The Israeli military has issued a forced evacuation order in the Gaza neighborhoods of Beit Hanoon, Khirbet Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira and Abasan al-Jadida.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he has told the military to take “strong action” against Hamas after to the Islamist group refused to release the remaining Israeli hostages it has held from the October 2023 attacks and because of their rejection of ceasefire proposals.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was said to be “shocked” by the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, in “which a meaningful number of civilians have been killed.”
Guterres “strongly appeals for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished and for the remaining hostages to be released unconditionally,” the official statement said.
Caritas Jerusalem has reported that airstrikes have hit homes and shelters and a school sheltering displaced Palestinians and they have suspended all operation in Gaza, but continue to monitor the crisis, “determined to resume life-saving services as soon as possible.”
“We plead for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed before more innocent lives are lost,” Caritas Jerusalem said.
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