‘Collective Punishment’: Financial Times Editorial Board Calls For Ceasefire In Gaza
Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP
The editorial board of the Financial Times called for a ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday, echoing the pleas of humanitarian groups.
Highlighting the reality of life on the ground in the densely populated enclave, the board asserted that each day’s news from the “besieged Gaza” has become increasingly bleak, with more than “1 million people forced from their homes” and “thousands killed.”
The board wrote: “Israel’s collective punishment of the 2.3mn people trapped in Gaza — almost half of them children — must stop.” The death toll from Israel’s recent bombardment surpasses the fatalities from past conflicts since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007… It is time for a humanitarian ceasefire.”
The board underscored the urgency of achieving a ceasefire by pointing out the rising violence in the occupied West Bank, raising concerns about a potential broader conflict emerging.
Emphasising other geopolitical implications, they cautioned Israel against the potential backlash from causing civilian suffering, noting that it may lead to Israel “losing support in the west.”
In a press conference on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls for a ceasefire, equating such a move with surrender to Hamas.
