Gaza's situation is dire as Israel intensifies attacks and famine fears grow

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Palestinians mourn relatives killed in Israeli strikes, at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on May 18th, 2025. Photograph: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images
Palestinians mourn relatives killed in Israeli strikes, at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on May 18th, 2025. Photograph: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images

On Monday morning, Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu posted a video on his Telegram account pledging to take control of all of Gaza.

“We are going to take control of all areas of the Strip, that’s what we’re going to do,” said Mr Netanyahu in the video.

He also addressed Israel’s humanitarian aid blockade into the besieged area, saying “minimal” food aid would be allowed into the strip, “just enough to prevent hunger”. Preventing famine among Palestinians is necessary both from “a practical and a diplomatic standpoint”, said the Israeli prime minister.

This latest announcement comes one day after the Israel military launched Operation Gideon’s chariot – a major new ground offensive across the Gaza Strip.

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Israel to allow ‘basic’ amount of food into Gaza to halt ‘starvation crisis’, Netanyahu saysOpens in new window ]

Aid agencies have continued to warn that the 2.1 million Palestinians in the besieged area are at “critical risk” of famine, while Unicef says the “entire child population” is at risk of malnutrition.

Today, on In The News, Israel says it plans to “take control” of all of Gaza. But what does that mean for Palestinians in the strip?

Sky news Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall discusses the intensifying violence in Gaza and the implications of Israel’s latest ground offensive.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak is an Irish Times reporter specialising in immigration issues and cohost of the In the News podcast

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