BREAKING: Middle East latest: UK joins demands for investigation into ‘horrific’ killings of people waiting for food aid in Gaza, as pressure mounts on Israel

We’ll be back tomorrow morning to bring you the latest on the situation Gaza and the Middle East in general.>>>READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Scroll down for updates on what happened today.

As officials briefed that he would in our previous post, US president Joe Biden has now announced air drops of aid to Gaza, saying they will begin soon and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into the war-battered territory to ease the suffering of Palestinians.

“In the coming days we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies” and will “seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor,” the US president said.

The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza.

“Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough,” Mr Biden added.

“Now, it’s nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children’s lives are on the line. We won’t stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.”

Joe Bidenis expected to announce his intention to order a military air drop of humanitarian aid into Gaza today, it is being reported.

Four US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters of the US president’s plan.

We’ll bring you more on the news as we get it.

 Just moments before UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivered an address outside his Downing Street residence, a statement was released by his Foreign Secretary about the deaths of Palestinians who had gathered to collect food aid.

The strongly worded comments from Lord Cameron described the deaths as “horrific” and said there must be “an urgent investigation and accountability” – joining growing international calls for a probe into the episode.

“This must not happen again,” he said.

While he stopped short of directly blaming Israel, who Palestinians say shot dead more than 100 people in a “massacre, he went on to link the deaths to the lack of aid allowed into Gaza – which he suggested Israel was responsible for.

“We can’t separate what happened yesterday from the inadequate aid supplies,” he said.

“In February only half the number of trucks crossed into Gaza that did in January. This is simply unacceptable.

“Israel has an obligation to ensure that significantly more humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza.”

He added that Israel “must urgently open more crossings into Gaza”, saying “the tragedy only serves to underscore the importance of securing an immediate humanitarian pause”.

UK maritime security firm Ambrey says it has received multiple reports of another incident involving a British cargo ship – during which a number of Yemenis were reportedly harmed.

The firm said the Rubymar vessel, which was abandoned in the southern Red Sea after being targeted by Yemen’s Houthis on 18 February, was around 16 nautical miles west of Yemen’s port city of Mokha at the time of the second incident yesterday.

We’ll bring you more details as we get them.

More than 80% of patients injured around an aid convoy in northern Gaza suffered gunshot wounds, the head of a hospital in Gaza City has said.

Health officials in the Hamas-run enclave said at least 112 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others injured.

Dr Mohammed Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, said 176 wounded people had been admitted, of whom 142 had been hit by gunfire.

The other 34 had injuries from a stampede, he added.

Regarding the cause of death of those who had been killed, he said he could not comment because the bodies were taken to government-run hospitals to be counted.

The Palestinian president in the West Bank said the killings had been an “ugly massacre” by Israeli troops, but officials in Israel have provided varying accounts of the episode (see 14.05 post) – while denying their forces were to blame for the deaths.

Seven Israeli hostages being held in Gaza have been killed in Israel Defence Forces attacks, Hamas’s armed wing has said.

Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for the al-Qassam brigades, said it was not immediately clear when they died.

The total number of hostages killed in IDF attacks now exceeded 70, Abu Ubaida added in a statement on Telegram.

More than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages were released during a week-long ceasefire in November, in exchange for about 240 Palestinian prisoners.

About 130 hostages are said to remain in Gaza.

A quarter of them are believed to be dead, Israel has said.

Sky News has approached the IDF for comment.

The event in which Palestinians died as they approached an aid convoy in northern Gaza appears to be “two incidents within the space of about 600 metres”, Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke has said.

In the first it seems the convoy, comprising about 30 trucks, came to “some sort of a pause or a halt”, Clarke said.

“A group of people got round a lot of trucks and it looks as if there was some sort of stampede,” he added.

“Maybe some people were run over by trucks.”

The incident slightly further north was the one “we know involved the IDF and some shooting”, Clarke said.

The trucks were trying to cross the Wadi Gaza, a rivulet which is dry in the summer and has water in it during the winter.

The lorries would have needed to slow down.

Clarke said IDF soldiers “fired warning shots in a situation with a crowd of desperate people who are completely spontaneous.”

He added: “Warning shots would have made things worse.

“The IDF said they thought people were still approaching them and they shot into the crowd.

“And it looks as if a tank fired a shot as well.

“That seems to have been how it happened.

“And that’s what happens when soldiers don’t have good rules of engagement, when the whole situation may have been a surprise.”

Clarke said IDF soldiers may have been concerned that some people moving around the trucks were from Hamas.

It was dark at the time, adding to the complexity, he said.

“You can’t blame the troops directly, but you can certainly blame the commanders because the troops were not properly briefed on what might happen,” he added.

“The situation was spontaneous and it obviously went wrong.

“These things do happen. And that’s not to exonerate anybody.

“But it’s not the case that the IDF just went out to shoot civilians.”

The health ministry in Gaza says more than 100 Palestinians were killed.

These pictures are from the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City in northern Gaza today.

They were taken following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area.

Gaza has experienced an “enormous decrease in electricity”, a charity has said.

Care International said its analysis of satellite images suggested “night-time light” in the strip had decreased by 84%.

Gaza City has experienced the biggest reduction, it added, of 91%,

It put the figure in Rafah at 70%.

“A concerning 70% of hospitals in Gaza have little to no night-time light, severely impacting healthcare services,” the charity said.

Dr Xi Li from Wuhan University, lead researcher, said the images were taken from “500 miles above the earth”.

Care International said he compared “levels of light in September 2023 and a series of images taken between October 2023 and January 2024”.

Similar analyses were carried out regarding Syria and Yemen, the charity said.

Egypt’s foreign minister has said he is hopeful there could be a ceasefire in Gaza before Ramadan, which is due to begin on 10 March.

Talks have been initiated by Qatar.

Sameh Shoukry said: “We are hopeful that we can reach a cessation of hostilities and exchange of hostages.

“Everyone recognises that we have a time limit to be successful before the start of Ramadan,” he added at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.

A proposed deal includes a 40-day pause in all military operations and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages at a ratio of 10 to one, Reuters reported a “senior source close to the talks” as saying.

As mentioned in a previous post (see 11.28), some Israeli officials appear to have provided varying explanations as to events that led to the deaths of Palestinians attempting to collect flour from a humanitarian aid convoy in Gaza City yesterday.

While some elements of those explanations have been similar, there have also been apparent differences in the details of those accounts, particularly around reports of Israeli soldiers opening fire.

In a report at 11.38am UK time yesterday, Reuters cited an Israeli source as saying Israeli troops opened fire at “several people” among a crowd that surrounded aid trucks in the Gaza Strip after feeling under threat.

In a post on X at 1.20pm UK time yesterday, the IDF said that “dozens of Gazans were injured and killed” due to “pushing, trampling and being run over by the trucks”, but did not mention troops having opened fire.

Times of Israel military correspondent Emanuel Fabian posted about details of an “initial probe” by the IDF yesterday, which he reported had found that, after a stampede, some of the trucks continued further north, where “armed men” opened fire on some of the aid trucks and “looted it”.

He also cited the IDF investigation as saying Palestinians “began to move toward an IDF tank and troops stationed at the military’s checkpoint”.

And, he reported, the IDF said an officer in the area “ordered to fire warning shots in the air as the Palestinians were within a few dozen metres, as well as gunfire at the legs of those who continued to move toward the troops”.

Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman later said “Gazan civilian drivers ploughed into the crowds of people”.

When asked by Sky News if live fire was used by the IDF, Mr Hyman said he could not confirm whether it had been.

The Associated Press reported later yesterday that Israeli officials, who insisted on anonymity, had acknowledged their troops opened fire on the crowd, but did so after it approached in a threatening way.

Far-right Israeli government minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a tweet: “Total support must be given to our heroic fighters operating in Gaza, who acted excellently against a Gazan mob that tried to harm them.”

He went on to claim that the incident “proved the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza” was “madness” and insisted “we must stop transferring this aid”.

In an interview with CNN yesterday evening, it was put to Israeli spokesperson Mark Regev that IDF officials had admitted opening fire.

He responded: “That’s a separate incident, not connected to the tragedy with the trucks. That was different place, different time. In the general location, but not the same incident at all.”

“We are not aware that the IDF fire caused casualties at all.”

Rear admiral Daniel Hagari said in a news conference last night that a “mob ambushed” an aid truck, claiming: “The tanks which were there to secure the convoy sees the Gazans being trampled and cautiously tries to disperse the mob with a few warning shots.”

Speaking to Sky News today, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht said: “The only place where the IDF opened fire was on people that endangered our forces.

“Certain people moved towards our forces in an endangering way and we had to respond.”

He insisted that was “not in a lethal way” and that troops had merely “tried to just make sure that they distanced themselves from our forces”.

“There was no such occasion where we intentionally fired on people trying to get the aid,” he added.

The Israeli accounts are at odds with those from Palestinian witnesses who claim Israeli troops opened fire on the crowd.

The acting director of the Al-Awda Hospital said the facility received 161 wounded patients, most of whom appeared to have been shot – while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said an “ugly massacre” had been carried out by Israeli troops.

Amid mounting international pressure on Israel following the death of Palestinians in Gaza who were trying to access desperately needed food aid, Germany has joined those countries demanding a clear explanation.

Germany’s foreign minister said the Israeli army “must fully explain” how “mass panic and shooting could have happened” while people gathered to collect supplies from a convoy.

“The reports from Gaza shock me,” Annalena Baerbock said on social media.

“People wanted relief supplies for themselves and their families and found themselves dead.”

In Gaza, “people are closer to dying than alive” and more humanitarian aid is required “immediately”, she said.

A ceasefire needs to be implemented so that “the hostages can finally be released from the hands of Hamas and more people don’t die in Gaza”, Ms Baerbock added.

The comments follow similar strongly worded statements from countries across the world which are demanding answers from Israel on the deaths.

As we have detailed, there are conflicting reports about what happened while an aid convoy was travelling north along the Gazan coast.

Gaza health authorities said Israeli forces had killed more than 100 Palestinians.

Israel has told Sky News today (11.28 post) that troops accompanying the convoy did open fire because of a “stampede of people” but insisted there was “no occasion where we intentionally fired on people trying to get aid”.

The EU is to increase emergency support for Palestinians by €68m (£58m) during 2024.

It has also announced it will pay a “first tranche” of €50m (£43m) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Earlier this year, Sky News saw intelligence documents that Israel claimed were evidence that staff working for UNRWA were connected to Hamas, although Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkal said it contained no significant evidence for the claims – a conclusion similar to that reached by other outlets who had viewed the dossier, including the FT and Channel 4.

The UN says Israel has still not provided it with evidence to support the allegations.

The report, shared with foreign governments, alleged four UNRWA employees had been involved in kidnapping Israelis.

Critics of Israel’s actions said the number of staff allegedly involved was a tiny percentage of the agency’s overall workforce.

Nevertheless, the UK and other countries temporarily stopped funding UNRWA.

Several employees had been dismissed, UNRWA said.

The European Commission said it had “assessed its decision” to provide extra funding in “light of the very serious allegations made on 24 January”.

It added: “UNRWA has indicated that it stands ready to ensure that a review of its staff is carried out to confirm they did not participate in the (7 October) attacks and that further controls are put in place to mitigate such risks in the future.”

Ursula von der Leyen, commission president, said: “We stand by the Palestinian people in Gaza and elsewhere in the region.

“Innocent Palestinians should not have to pay the price for the crimes of terrorist group Hamas.

“They face terrible conditions, putting their lives at risk, because of lack of access to sufficient food and other basic needs.”

An Israel Defence Forces spokesman has told Sky News that Israeli troops did open fire while Palestinians were trying to collect food yesterday, but insisted there was “no occasion where we intentionally fired on people trying to get aid”.

As we have been reporting, more than 100 people are believed to have been killed and a further 700 injured during a rush by Palestinians to receive supplies in northern Gaza.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht said the deaths of people running towards an aid convoy made it a “very tragic event”.

Regarding whether some of the dead were hit by Israeli bullets, Mr Hecht said: “The only place where the IDF opened fire was on people that endangered our forces.

“There was no such occasion where we intentionally fired on people trying to get the aid.”

Mr Hecht said the convoy, which was moving north along the coastline, was “mobbed by a stampede of people”.

“Certain people moved towards our forces in an endangering way and we had to respond,” he said.

But that was “not in a lethal way – we tried to just make sure that they distanced themselves from our forces”.

Israeli officials have offered various and in some cases seemingly conflicting accounts of what led to the deaths yesterday.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Hecht suggested that the number of people killed, as provided by Hamas, was not reliable.

“I would always take them with a pinch of salt,” he claimed.

Asked how many Gazans were killed as a result of IDF fire, he said: “We still don’t know. We think the numbers aren’t as high as is being claimed.”

He added: “Why would we open fire on civilians trying to get food from trucks?”

Mr Hecht said the Israeli military had been trying to “facilitate” the entrance of aid to the north of Gaza but “law and order and looting has been an issue”.

The IDF are “aware and are listening to what the world is saying about the situation in the north” of Gaza, he added.

“We did everything we could,” he commented.

“We were trying to accompany.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas claimed an “ugly massacre” had taken place “conducted by the Israeli occupation army”.

More than 100 people were reportedly killed while waiting for aid in Gaza.

At least 700 were wounded, the Hamas-run health ministry has said.

Palestinian authorities claimed Israeli forces fired on the crowd.

Israel said many of the dead were crushed in the rush for supplies – and its troops fired some warning shots when the situation became violent.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman, said “no IDF strike was conducted towards the aid convoy”.

Now, Turkey has joined Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan in condemning Israeli forces for allegedly firing.

In a statement, the Turkish foreign ministry accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza”.

The US is trying to determine what happened, President Joe Biden has said.

Asked if the loss of life would complicate efforts to implement a ceasefire, he replied: “I know it will.”

Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, has said the deaths need to be independently investigated.

As we reported earlier (see post at 8.38am) veteran left-wing politician George Galloway has won the Rochdale by-election after standing on a pro-Palestine platform.

Addressing the Labour leader in his victory speech, he said: “Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza.”

He later claimed Sir Keir had “sold his soul to the Israel lobby”.

Now, the Board of Deputies of British Jews has issued a statement, describing Mr Galloway as a “demagogue and conspiracy theorist”.

It claimed Mr Galloway had “brought the politics of division and hate to every place he has ever stood for parliament”.

The board added: “His election is a dark day for the Jewish community in this country, and for British politics in general.”

Protesters have gathered outside the American embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, to call for Joe Biden’s help in releasing hostages.

Some of the demonstrators carried posters reading “save them from hell” and “Biden only you can save them”.

Others carried American flags and lit off flares.

More than 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza after they were captured by Hamas during the 7 October attacks.

Some news from overnight now – the US blocked a UN Security Council statement that would have blamed Israeli forces for the more than 100 reported deaths as Palestinians waited for food aid.

After the closed emergency council meeting on the deaths, the Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour said 14 of the 15 council members supported the statement.

The US was the only member that did not support it.

The draft statement, put forward by Algeria, had expressed “deep concern” and stated the situation was “due to opening fire by Israeli forces”.

US deputy ambassador Robert Wood told reporters: “The parties are working on some language to see if we can get to a statement.

“The problem is that we don’t have all the facts here,” he said, adding that he wanted the wording to reflect “the necessary due diligence with regards to culpability”.

Hamas has blamed the IDF for the deaths, but Israel’s military says it did not fire at the crowd rushing the main convoy of aid trucks.

It acknowledged troops opened fire on several people who moved toward soldiers and a tank, but said most people were killed in a stampede.

Moving to British politics briefly, veteran left-wing politician George Galloway has won a by-election in the northwestern English town of Rochdale.

Mr Galloway had stood on a pro-Palestine, anti-Israel platform and had hoped to mobilise the Muslim vote in the town.

“Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza,” he said during his victory speech, in a message to the Labour leader.

“This is going to spark a movement, a landslide, a shifting of the tectonic plates in scores of parliamentary constituencies,” Mr Galloway added.

He later said the Labour leader had “sold his soul to the Israel lobby” and said no state has a right to exist as he defended his “from the river to the sea” call.

This slogan has been used as a call for a Palestinian state between the Mediterranean and the River Jordan – and the effective removal of the state of Israel..>>>READ FULL ARTICLE HERE