Shadow minister Imran Hussain quits Labour front bench over Starmer’s failure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza
“Over recent weeks, it has become clear that my view on the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza differs substantially from the position you have adopted.”
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Labour leader Keir Starmer has so far resisted calls for a ceasefire from within his own party, including from members of his shadow cabinet as well as from the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham. The Labour leader said that the terrorist group Hamas would be “emboldened” by a ceasefire, four weeks after it killed 1,400 people in Israel.
Announcing his resignation on X, formerly Twitter, Hussain wrote in his letter: “Over recent weeks, it has become clear that my view on the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza differs substantially from the position you have adopted.
“A ceasefire is essential to ending the bloodshed, to ensuring that enough aid can pass into Gaza and reach those most in need, and to help ensure the safe return of the Israeli hostages.”
He added that the cutting of food, water, power, and medicine to Palestinians in Gaza is an act of collective punishment that violates international law and is a ‘clear war crime’.
Over 26,000 people have been injured and around 1.5 million displaced out of a total population of 2.3 million since Israel started its war on Gaza on October 7. Israeli forces have also killed over 150 people in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The debris following an Israeli airstrike in Jabalya. Photo: Quds News Network
Gaza faced yet another communications black out on Monday, November 6 even as reports emerged of Israeli planes bombing more residential areas and killing dozens of civilians on the 31st day of its war.
On Sunday night and on Monday morning, Israeli forces bombed over 450 Palestinian locations in the besieged Palestinian territory, killing dozens of Palestinians, including children and women.
The total number of Palestinians killed has crossed the 10,000 mark and over 26,000 have been injured in Israel’s indiscriminate bombings and ground offensive. Over 1,000 Palestinians are also reported missing and are likely to be buried in the debris created by Israel’s war planes targeting residential areas, hospitals, schools, and other civilian infrastructure.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health says the confirmed number of Palestinians murdered by Israel since the beginning of the Israeli genocide campaign in Gaza has climbed to 9,770, with thousands of people, including children, missing.#GazaGenocide#ceasefireInGazaNOWpic.twitter.com/hZXQHbv5YH
Israel has also launched a ground offensive inside Gaza. Its forces claimed on Monday that they have divided the besieged Palestinian territory into two. They also repeated their ultimatum asking all residents to leave northern Gaza.
66 Palestinians were reportedly killed when Israel bombed residential buildings in Deir al-Balah and al-Zawayida in central Gaza on Monday.
Internet services and telecommunications shut down in Gaza for the third time since October 7. Israel on Monday once again disrupted the power supply to Al-Shifa hospital. The largest hospital in Gaza has faced repeated attacks in its vicinity and is running out of fuel, medicine, and space, caused both by the Israeli blockade and due to the surge in the number of patients.
There are over 40,000 people seeking refuge in the hospital at the moment according to Al-Jazeera.
More killed in occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem
Israeli occupation forces have also killed 155 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, two of them on Monday.
One of the Palestinians killed was just 16 years old. Israel alleged that he attacked two of their soldiers, wounding them seriously with a knife before he was shot dead, Wafa reported.
Over 70 other Palestinians were arrested from different parts of the occupied West Bank by Israeli occupation forces in late night raids conducted on Sunday and early morning on Monday.
The arrested include activist Ahed Tamimi who was arrested from her house near Ramallah in a raid.
Israeli forces detain non-violent resistance icon Ahed Tamimi. In ‘18 Israeli forces detained her after she slapped an Israeli soldier harassing her in her home after her cousin was shot in the head. Her father was detained a week ago. Israel has detained 2000+ 🇵🇸s in past month https://t.co/4s2vphQ0Rt
On Sunday evening, an Israeli drone attacked a car in southern Lebanon, killing three children and injuring an elderly woman, Al-Mayadeen reported.
Hezbollah responded to the death of Lebanese children by firing rockets inside a northern Israeli town killing at least one person.
Blinken threatened countries and groups in the region against any attempts to intervene in the war in Gaza. The US also announced the deployment of a nuclear submarine in the region on Monday.
The US has already increased the presence of its armed forces in the region following Israeli aggression in Gaza and has supplied armaments to Israel for the war.
Demonstrators gathered in front of the White House during a rally in support of Gaza in Washington, D.C. on November 4, 2023. (Photo: Oliver Doulliery/AFP via Getty Images)
“We came here to let our voices be heard,” said one demonstrator in Washington, D.C. “Every human is entitled to basic human rights, not killing kids, not torturing people.”
This is a developing story… Please check back for possible updates…
Huge crowds of protesters filled the streets of Washington, D.C. and other U.S. cities on Saturday to demand a cease-fire in Israel’s war on Hamas, which has killed and wounded thousands of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip over the past month.
“We came here to let our voices be heard and our hearts and hoping we’ll change the way people see this conflict,” 70-year-old Manar Ghanayem toldThe Washington Post in the nation’s capitol, where demonstrators gathered in and around Freedom Plaza.
“Every human is entitled to basic human rights, not killing kids, not torturing people,” added Ghanayem, who traveled from North Carolina to march in D.C. with more than a dozen friends and family members, including young grandchildren.
Ghanayem also said that she voted for U.S. President Joe Biden in 2020 but was outraged by his response to the war. As she put it, “I can’t believe Biden is turning a blind eye to this and gave Israel the green light.”
Rather than advocating for a cease-fire, the Biden administration has pushed for “humanitarian pauses” in what critics are calling Israel’s “genocidal” air and ground assault of Gaza—launched after a Hamas-led surprise attack on Israel on October 7.
After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of the war, Biden said that “my administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering.” He quickly asked Congress for $14.3 billion for the Israeli war effort, on top of the typical $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid.
“Americans do not support the genocide in Palestine, we do not support the occupation, yet we are being robbed of our own resources in order to fund this oppression,” said CodePink organizer Nour Jaghama earlier this week. Her anti-war group is a part of a broad coalition that supported Saturday’s demonstrations in the United States.
“We need to show our government that we are outraged at them for forcing us to participate in such a disgusting and devastating attack on humanity,” Jaghama continued. “As Americans, we have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Palestine to fight for them however we can.”
Jaghama also delivered a speech on Saturday. According to CodePink:
“One of the most prominent questions we need to ask ourselves is: Why we can hear these words and firsthand accounts from Gaza yet the genocide still continues? Why do only 18 representatives and ONLY ONE senator support a cease-fire? And why does President Biden insist on funding Netanyahu’s genocide?” she asked the crowd…
She then aimed her questions directly at President Biden: “Is this how you want to be remembered? A genocidal, destructive, warmonger? Shame! Look at this crowd, clearly the American people do not agree with your genocidal plans. You must call for a cease-fire now or solidify your position as one of the most inhumane presidents in American history. The American people demand a cease-fire, an end to the occupation, and the full liberation of Palestine.”
Demonstrators in D.C. carried signs with messages like “Stop U.S.-funded genocide,” “Cease-Fire Now,” and “Let Gaza Live!”
Sharing a photo from the D.C. gathering on social media, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) said: “Solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of people nationwide who marched in support of a #CeasefireNOW. Our pro-peace, pro-humanity movement is strong and it is growing daily.”
St. Louis DC South Korea Germany Norway South Africa Puerto Rico England Japan & so many more places
The Saturday actions followed weeks of protests at places including congressional offices and major transit stations. Jewish Voice for Peace noted Monday that “Jewish people all throughout the United States are protesting in unprecedented numbers against Israel’s destruction of Gaza and the United States’ unwavering support.”
Protesters, supporters, and journalists shared updates on social media.
— Professor Kamel Hawwash بروفيسور كامل إسحق الحواش (@kamelhawwash) November 4, 2023
Olympia, Washington:
Really incredible turnout in Olympia, WA today. It was POURING all morning. Some of the streets leaving Seattle looked like literal lakes. Didn’t matter. The people are here, demanding a #ceasefireNOW. #FreePestine#ceasefirepic.twitter.com/q7oFXzJaqW
Officials in Israel say Palestinian militants are holding around 240 hostages and more than 1,500 Israelis have been killed over the past four weeks. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s war on the besieged enclave has killed over 9,400 Palestinians. Amid a surge in settler violence, 133 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank.
Israel has faced global criticism for cutting off the people of Gaza from food, water, fuel, and medicine as well as bombing homes, schools, medical facilities, religious buildings, and a refugee camp. Some citizens of Israel have joined in worldwide demands for International Criminal Court action on “escalating Israeli war crimes and genocide.”
Pro-Palestinian protests were also held around the world on Saturday, including in Berlin, Germany; Dhaka, Bangladesh; London, England; Paris, France; Milan, Italy; Santiago, Chile; and Tokyo, Japan. Scientist and organizer Lucky Tran said on social media that “we are witnessing the biggest global anti-war protests since the Iraq War in 2003.”
In the United Kingdom, tens of thousands of people blocked London’s Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus, then marched to Trafalgar Square. Al Jazeera reported that “protesters held ‘Freedom for Palestine’ placards and chanted ‘cease-fire now’ and ‘in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.'”
Israel bombed the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza for the third time on Thursday. Israel’s attacks on the camp have killed at least 195 Palestinians with at least 120 more people missing under the rubble
Israel bombed the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza for the third time on the morning of Thursday, November 2, killing at least 29 more people, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Israel’s attacks on the camp have killed at least 195 Palestinians with at least 120 more people missing under the rubble.
Over 800 Palestinians have been wounded in the attacks on the densely populated camp.
The United Nations Human Rights office (OHCHR) said on Thursday that Israel’s repeated attacks on the Jabalya refugee camp are “disproportionate” and may “amount to war crimes.”
At least five more Palestinians were killed on Thursday morning when Israeli warplanes targeted an UNRWA school which had been converted into a camp, known as al-Shati. Thousands of Palestinians who have lost their homes due to Israeli bombings are living in the camp.
Reports also claimed that the al-Shati camp was attacked with white phosphorus which is banned.
A total of over 9,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 23,000 have been wounded in the Israeli war on Gaza. More than 70% of all Palestinians killed are children or women, according to the UN.
The Israeli war began on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups breached the border fence and entered Israel in what they called Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
Israel has also launched a ground offensive inside Palestinian territory. Reports indicate a large number of killings and destruction of civilian properties in the ground offensive too.
More hospitals shut in Gaza
Due to the indiscriminate Israeli bombing, 16 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza are already out of service, according to the Health Ministry.
More hospitals have announced they will be forced to cease their operations soon, citing lack of supply of electricity and essentials such as medicines.
The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the only cancer hospital in the Gaza strip, announced the halting of its operations following repeated attacks by Israel in its vicinity and the shortage of fuel caused due to a complete blockade on the supply of essential commodities by Israel on the territory since October 9.
Reacting to the news, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca claimed that the hospital had shut down despite repeated warnings as “unfortunately, the international community and relevant institutions have not taken sufficient action to prevent the attacks on the hospitals” carried out by the Israeli war planes.
The hospital was attacked by Israel on Monday, October 30, leading to damage.
Meanwhile, a small number of severely injured Palestinians and some foreign nationals were able to leave the Gaza strip from Rafah border crossing on Wednesday for the first time since the war began. More people are expected to leave on Thursday.
Israel continues to kill and arrest Palestinians in West Bank and East Jerusalem
At least three Palestinians, including one child, were killed by the Israeli occupation forces in different parts of the occupied West Bank on Thursday morning.
The total number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7 has crossed 132 with at least 34 of them being children. The occupation forces have killed more than 343 Palestinians in these territories since the beginning of the year.
Ayman Shaf'i, a #Palestinian boy, was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces this morning in the city of Al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank, according to medical sources. pic.twitter.com/4Rng54LODx
Israeli occupation forces also arrested at least 65 more Palestinians from various parts of the occupied West Bank on Thursday. A total of over 1,900 Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli armed forces in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7.
Israel’s repeated targeting of civilians in the Palestinian territories has been condemned by many countries. After Bolivia cut ties with Israel on Tuesday, Chile and Colombia recalled their ambassadors from Israel.
On Wednesday Jordan joined these countries and recalled its ambassador from Israel. It claimed that it won’t send its ambassador back until Israel stops its war in Gaza.
According to Al-Mayadeen, Bahrain announced on Thursday that the Israeli ambassador has left the country and it has recalled its ambassador from Israel. It also claimed that it has halted all economic cooperation with Israel over its attacks on Palestinian people in Gaza.
Bahrain was the first country in the Arab region to sign the US-backed normalization deal with Israel in 2020 called Abraham Accords. Later, the UAE, Sudan, and Morocco also signed the deal.
Several other countries, including Argentina, Peru, and Mexico. also condemned Israel’s repeated attacks on the Jabalya refugee camp and on Palestinian civilians.
Speaking at yet another UN General Assembly session on Palestine, Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzia reiterated his country’s demand of immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza warning that it is necessary to “prevent the crisis from engulfing the entire region.”
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on October 27 demanding an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza with over 120 countries supporting it. However, Israel has refused to adhere to it and continues its bombings targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
Civilians try to reach survivors, dead bodies amid destruction caused by Israeli strikes on Bureij refugee camp located in central Gaza Strip on November 02, 2023. (Photo by Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Dear Congressional Leaders Sen. Schumer, Rep. Johnson, Sen. McConnell and Rep. Jeffries:
We strongly urge Congress to hold public hearings, with testimony from a broad range of witnesses, before voting on President Biden’s request for an additional $14.3 billion in military funding to further subsidize Israel’s overwhelming military superiority over Hamas in the war that erupted on October 7, 2023.
We believe these questions, among others, should be examined:
1. Why should American taxpayers pay for Israeli military spending incurred because of its stupendous intelligence failure and ongoing genocidal war? 2. Does Israel need the additional aid since the United States already provides Israel $3-4 billion annually and statutorily guarantees it “a qualitative military advantage” over its neighbors? 3. Can the United States afford the $14.3 billion in additional spending with a national debt soaring past $33 trillion, and annual trillion-dollar budget deficits? 4. Israel is among the top 20 global economies in terms of GDP per capita. Could the $14.3 billion be better spent on assisting the world’s 71 million impoverished internally displaced refugees, many created by undeclared, lawless, U.S. wars? 5. Would the military subsidies make the United States even more of a co-belligerent with Israel in a war against Hamas and, under international law, legally responsible for war crimes or genocide? 6. Should the additional $14.3 billion in deficit or unpaid-for funding be conditioned on Israel’s compliance with the laws of war and the Genocide Convention as certified under oath by the President, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense with an accompanying written explanation? All of these officials have urged the Israeli government to “comply with the laws of war.” 7. How did the Biden Administration come up with the outsized figure of $14.3 billion for a prosperous economic, technological, and military superpower having a greater social safety net for its people than the United States?
Asking the American people for their advice on sending $14.3 billion to Israel for its acknowledged, defense blunders is not difficult. Conservative Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie polled 49,000 people from his impoverished state. They registered overwhelming opposition to sending these billions of dollars for Israel’s daily slaughter of the civilians in Gaza, nearly half of whom are children.
Disaster is courted when the United States races to begin or join military conflicts without measured, sober second thoughts born of hearings and debates that entertain diverse views. The House held no hearings on the ill-fated Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964 which expanded the Vietnam War. The Resolution passed unanimously with but 40 minutes of debate. Senate action was only modestly less rash in voting 98-2 to open the gates to a trillion-dollar military disaster.
Congress never inquired whether the Executive Branch’s dubious Domino Theory was fantasy. Indeed, Vietnam today is an ally of the United States.
Congress held no hearings before approving the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) with but one dissenting vote, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA). After spending more than $2 trillion fighting the Taliban over 20 years, the United States de facto conceded defeat in 2021 with an even more militant version of the Taliban now in power in Afghanistan.
Such hearings will not place Israel in jeopardy. Hamas is no existential threat. And all the world can see Israel pulverizing Gaza daily, including its civilian population, half of whom are children, with brutal air and land attacks on critical civilian infrastructure.
