Israel’s latest push into Gaza has provoked an unusually sharp joint rebuke from the UK, France and Canada, who on Monday branded the offensive “egregious” and threatened unspecified “concrete actions” unless it stops and humanitarian access is restored.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the statement as a “huge prize” for Hamas and pledged to “take control of all of Gaza”, insisting Israel will fight on until “total victory” is achieved.

On Tuesday morning the United Nations issued its starkest warning yet: 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours if aid does not reach them. Despite Netanyahu’s promise to ease an 11-week blockade, only five trucks—carrying mainly baby formula—entered Gaza on Monday, a fraction of the pre-war average of 600 daily deliveries.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called the gesture “a drop in the ocean”, noting that the lorries were still stranded on the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom, vulnerable to looting by a starving population of 2.3 million.

At the same time, Israel’s military has launched what it describes as “extensive” new ground operations across northern and southern Gaza, backed by intensive air-strikes. Gaza’s civil defence agency says at least 44 people—mostly women and children—were killed in the early hours of Tuesday, while Monday’s bombardments claimed more than 60 lives after Khan Younis was declared a combat zone.

The terrtory’s health ministry puts the cumulative Palestinian death toll above 53,000, with wide areas of central Gaza levelled and hospitals in the north out of service.

Against this backdrop, Hamas confirmed over the weekend that new ceasefire talks are under way in Doha. Officials say negotiations are proceeding “without pre-conditions”, focusing on a potential exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners and a phased truce. Progress remains elusive: Israel insists Hamas must first release all remaining captives and disarm, while Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal.

Diplomatically, the rift between Washington and its closest allies has widened. While London, Paris and Ottawa threaten punitive measures, the United States—Israel’s principal arms supplier—remains largely unmoved.

Analysts cite the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups and domestic politics: a recent Gallup poll shows US public support for Israel at a 25-year low, yet congressional backing remains solid. Britain and Canada have already frozen some export licences; France has signalled it may follow suit if the offensive continues.

Inside Gaza, civilians describe nights of “unimaginable terror” as bombs fall and food stokes plummet. With the World Food Programme warning of imminent famine and the UN describing conditions as “one of the world’s worst hunger crises”, aid agencies say even a complete reopening of crossings may come too late to prevent widespread starvation and disease.

Image credit: WikimediaCommons.