STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Israel's government has resisted that idea, but some world governments are taking a step in that direction.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Less than a week ago, France became the first G7 nation to signal its intention to recognize a state of Palestine.
INSKEEP: Now the United Kingdom has taken a step toward recognition, too. This is definitely something Israel does not want. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for years opposed a fully independent Palestinian state. The U.K. action is framed as a move to put pressure on Israel's government.
MARTÍNEZ: Joining us now to discuss this is NPR international correspondent Aya Batrawy. So let's start with this announcement by the U.K. that comes with a bit of a catch.
AYA BATRAWY, BYLINE: Yeah. So the prime minister, Keir Starmer, conditioned the recognition. He said the U.K. would do this at the U.N. General Assembly in September, joining more than a hundred countries that have already recognized Palestine. But he says the U.K. could hold back if Israel takes real steps to end what he called appalling conditions in Gaza, ends the war there and revives efforts towards Israel and a Palestinian state existing side by side. But have a listen to Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, laying out clearly his government's rejection of this.
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GIDEON SA'AR: Establishing a Palestinian state today is establishing a Hamas state, a Jihadist state. It ain't going to happen.
BATRAWY: So while recognition of a Palestinian state by France, the U.K. and possibly others that could follow, like Canada and Australia, certainly does carry weight - it's significant - but it does little to change realities on the ground. You know, Israel's government is expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Top ministers openly call for displacing Palestinians from Gaza. These are territories Palestinians need for a state. And there's still not even a ceasefire in Gaza, where, by the way, yesterday, the death toll from Israeli attacks surpassed 60,000 people killed in the war, according to its health ministry.
MARTÍNEZ: And Israel's also being urged to let more aid into Gaza. So what can you tell us about conditions there?
BATRAWY: A, I mean, hunger is worse at this point than ever in the war. There's been a dramatic spike in deaths from hunger this month, and this comes after an Israeli blockade on all food entering Gaza that's really only slightly eased in recent weeks. And independent experts backed by the U.N. warned back in May that Gaza was at risk of famine unless more food reached people there, and now they say those thresholds for famine have been breached. You know, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu - he did acknowledge yesterday that, quote, "the situation in Gaza is difficult," but he denies there's starvation. He says Israel's allowing large amounts of aid into Gaza.
MARTÍNEZ: Oh. So has that happened, and has it made a difference?
BATRAWY: There's some movement, but the short answer is no. The World Food Programme - the backbone of food aid in Gaza - says only half of the minimal amount of aid they're asking to bring in has been approved for entry. So only about 50 trucks a day, carrying mostly flour, have been coming in in recent days from them. And when these trucks enter, they're all looted, mostly either by armed gangs or people risking their lives just to feed their families. That's according to our own reporting and testimony on the ground. But, look, you know, on Monday, for example, all 150 aid trucks from the World Food Programme, UNICEF, Egypt, Emiratis, the charity kitchen aid trucks - all of them were looted right near the border, where Israeli troops are. Now, our producer there, Anas Baba - he reports markets are bare. Gangs are stealing aid and selling some of it at really jacked-up prices. So, for example, he found a merchant yesterday selling two pounds of apples for $180.
MARTÍNEZ: Wow. That's NPR's international correspondent, Aya Batrawy. Thanks a lot.
BATRAWY: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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