A report published by the American "Time" magazine confirmed that Israel's allies in the United States and Europe have largely avoided calling for a ceasefire because they believe that this would be tantamount to depriving it of its right to "eradicate" the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) from Gaza.

Writer Yasmine Sarhan said in her report that in light of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip, with increasing calls to stop the war, and with the death toll approaching 30,000, pressure has mounted on Israel and its supporters to change course.

The first shifts - according to the Time report - came from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, which on February 15 issued a joint statement calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” indicating that the Israeli ground attack on Rafah would be “devastating.”

Also, 26 of the 27 member states of the European Union - with the exception of Hungary - echoed these concerns, calling for the establishment of “an immediate humanitarian truce that would lead to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.

The tide has changed

Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the opposition Labor Party - which is expected to form the country's next government - announced that it also supports an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire," adding that the attack on Rafah "must not happen." This is in contrast to the ruling Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which opposes a complete ceasefire.

Time quoted the Palestinian ambassador to Britain, Hossam Zomlot, as saying, “The tide has changed,” noting that although he encouraged a change in rhetoric among Western governments, “the starting point was completely unbalanced.”

He added that many still need to match their words with their actions, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, which expressed their regret over the lack of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza, while at the same time they stopped funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Time said that the imminent Israeli invasion of Rafah prompted such a response, which reflects the concerns of many countries, international institutions and humanitarian organizations about what could happen if the attack continues.

UN bodies and international medical research centers warn that tens of thousands of Gazans will die in the coming months if escalation occurs.

Political trading

According to the American magazine, these warnings did not convince Israel not to launch its attack, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a necessary step in the country's goal of achieving "complete victory."

In the United States, there are growing concerns about the impact of the war and US President Joe Biden’s handling of it on his re-election chances. In the United Kingdom, a vote on a non-binding ceasefire resolution on Wednesday eventually turned into political infighting within Parliament.

Source: Time