Netanyahu Denies Gaza Starvation Amid New Israeli Offensive Opposition

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced significant criticism both domestically and internationally over his government's handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid ongoing military operations. Netanyahu denies claims of starvation in Gaza, attributing food shortages to Hamas's interference with aid distribution and accusing the media of using distorted figures and images, including what he termed "fake starving children." He emphasized that Israel has allowed nearly 2 million tons of aid into Gaza and is working on designating safe corridors for civilians to receive food, water, and medical care, while blaming Hamas for looting aid supplies. Netanyahu's military campaign to "defeat Hamas" is supported by some far-right coalition members but criticized by others, including Foreign Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who views the plan as insufficiently forceful and has expressed lost faith in Netanyahu, threatening the stability of the government. Meanwhile, opposition leaders are calling for new elections, and public protests in Israeli cities demand an immediate ceasefire, reflecting widespread unease about the impact of the conflict on both Israeli and Palestinian populations. Netanyahu also drew historical parallels between the vilification of Jews in the Middle Ages leading to massacres and the current global criticism of Israel, framing it as a similar pattern of unjust vilification.