:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/3CS66PNGSPQ6D45EOOZRN6IUBE.jpg "Hamas warned the United Kingdom not to send troops to distribute humanitarian aid in Gaza: “They will be legitimate targets for our people”")
Hamas Warns UK Soldiers Could be “Legitimate Targets” in Gaza
The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas issued a warning to the United Kingdom on Sunday, threatening that any deployment of soldiers to the Gaza Strip could make them “legitimate targets” for its armed wing. The warning came after reports surfaced that British troops could assist in the distribution of humanitarian aid in the troubled region.
“We warn Britain, or any other country, against the deployment of forces on the land or on the coast of the Gaza Strip and affirm that they will be legitimate targets for our people and their resistance,” Hamas stated in a press release.
The group vehemently opposed any initiative in the Palestinian enclave that did not have its approval. The warning was prompted by information from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) suggesting that the UK Armed Forces might be involved in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza through a new floating dock being constructed by Israel and the USA.
While the British government has not confirmed the news, the BBC reported that the Ministry of Defense is considering getting involved in delivering aid to Gaza on the ground, utilizing landing craft along the floating runway to transport supplies to a secure distribution area.
In response to the reports, the Israeli Army announced that international organizations would be responsible for the distribution of aid in Gaza, but did not specify which groups would be involved. The United States, on the other hand, announced that a floating dock would soon be operational to increase aid to Gaza, although it emphasized that land routes with trucks remained the best way to supply the Palestinian territory.
The White House also stated that continued US assistance to Israel would be contingent on preventing civilian casualties and allowing greater aid inflows to Gaza. President Joe Biden called on Israel to do more to facilitate aid deliveries and reduce civilian casualties following the killing of seven aid workers in an Israeli attack earlier in the month.
As international pressure mounts on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, the situation remains critical as the United Nations warns of an impending famine in the region. The deployment of British soldiers to assist in aid distribution could further complicate an already complex and volatile situation in Gaza.