![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBiden pressure on Israel not enough, say dissenting US officialsPublished22 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPABy Tom BatemanBBC State Department correspondent, Washington DCPresident Biden’s pressure on Israel after last week’s deadly attack on aid workers did not go far enough and will fail to stem the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, according to current and former US officials who have spoken to the BBC.They said internal dissent in government was growing and called for tougher action on arms transfers.Israel said it would open new aid routes after President Biden threatened to reassess policy following Israeli strikes that killed seven workers from food charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), including a US citizen.But the tougher line was “too little, too late”, said Annelle Sheline, an official working in human rights who quit the state department in protest a fortnight ago. She said the White House “could have done this months ago and prevented famine in northern Gaza”.The US-Israel relationship is currently experiencing its most serious strain in decades, after President Biden’s phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that amounted to a defining moment in the six-month conflict.Within hours of Mr Biden’s call, Israel said it would open the Erez crossing in northern Gaza and the port of Ashdod in southern Israel to aid, and pledged to drastically improve security co-ordination with groups delivering assistance to Palestinians. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: US says Israel must make changes in the coming “hours and days”In a newly-aired interview, Mr Biden said he believed the Israeli prime minister was making “a mistake” in his handling of Gaza. Speaking days after the Israeli strike on WCK workers – and before Israel announced the opening of the Erez crossing – he said his ally should “just call for a ceasefire” with Hamas, and allow “total access to all food and medicine” for Gaza.”I don’t agree with his approach”: Biden criticises Israeli PM in interviewDespite the steps taken by Mr Netanyahu last week, the views of seven current and former US government officials reflect the way internal objections to policy continue to mount. They said many government workers were voicing their frustrations in unofficial forums that include at least a dozen groups on messaging apps, which the officials said counted hundreds of administration staff as members. A spokesperson for the US state department said it encouraged different views on policy and staff could make them known through “appropriate channels”. The US had “been clear at the highest levels publicly and privately with Israel that it must abide by international humanitarian law”, the spokesperson said.Israel doing the bare minimum, official saysFour current officials at varying levels of seniority in different government departments spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity. Two have roles in areas with direct links to foreign policy, including on Israel and Gaza. One who has 25 years of national security experience said internal opposition had become “deeper, wider and more despairing” than at any previous point in the war. While the increase in pressure from President Biden last week was welcome, it did not go far enough to reflect the “moral urgency” to act, they said.”I read it as Israel doing the bare minimum to get through the day and avoid arms transfers being halted,” the official added.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made five trips to Israel since the 7 October attackUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday more than 400 trucks had been cleared to go into Gaza the previous day, describing “important commitments” made by Israel. However, UN officials told the BBC the figure was in fact 223, less than half the daily number it says is required as a minimum to stem the crisis.Some of the officials who spoke to the BBC said they wanted the Biden administration to explicitly condition arms supplies to Israel in order to avoid a full-scale humanitarian collapse. The administration has been under increasing pressure to say whether it is conducting a full review by the state department’s Office of the Legal Advisor into whether Israeli actions in Gaza have breached international law, which could lead to a bar on US weapons shipments. Josh Paul, a former senior official who resigned last year in protest, said the state department had not asked the office to make an assessment because “it does not want the answer it will get”. The state department declined to confirm whether it had referred any cases to the office.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Jose Andres says Monday’s strike which killed seven members of his staff was not a mistake.The officials’ concerns echoed those of dozens of Democrats in Congress, including Biden ally and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – who signed a letter on Friday urging the US to pause weapons’ transfers to Israel in the wake of the 1 April strikes on the WCK aid convoy, which sparked international outrage. The Israeli military called the attack a “grave accident”.Israel has consistently denied violating international law in Gaza, blaming thousands of civilian deaths from its offensive on Hamas for operating from civilian areas. It says it has fought a threat to Israel’s existence after the attacks by Hamas on 7 October, in which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 were taken hostage back to Gaza.The three former officials the BBC spoke to include Ms Sheline and Mr Paul, who both quit in protest, and Brian Finucane, a lawyer who spent a decade at the state department advising on laws of war and arms transfers.Civil servants find avenues for dissentThere has been ongoing dissent within the US government about Gaza policy since the first months of the war. And in February, hundreds of civil servants in the US and European countries warned that their governments risked being complicit in “grave violations of international law” in a letter initially obtained by the BBC.At the time, Robert Ford, a former US ambassador, said that unlike during the lead-up to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, when many officials had reservations but did not speak up, the seriousness of Gaza war had pushed career civil servants to publicly air their concerns.Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than ever Six months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?What we know about Israeli strike on aid convoyA second serving US official who spoke to the BBC anonymously described ongoing exchanges in at least a dozen chat groups on messaging apps Signal and WhatsApp. In these, staff vented exasperation and incredulity at the way they perceived the Biden administration too easily accepted Israeli versions of events. “There’s a lot of eye rolling… People can point out the inconsistencies and the fallacies pretty quickly,” said the official. The World Central Kitchen aid workers killed on 1 April had been transporting food aid delivered by sea into Gaza while Israeli-controlled land routes remained tightly restricted. A “foolish” system of deliveries by sea, as well as plans for a US-built floating pier to get aid in Gaza, were both designed “as a workaround for the fact that we [did] not pressure the Israelis to let aid in other ways”, said the official who has spent more than two decades working in US national security.Image source, ReutersAfter Israel’s announcement on aid routes on Thursday, Mr Blinken said Washington would judge the move by “results” in protecting civilians.Israel has previously blamed the United Nations for aid delivery failures – a claim categorically rejected by the UN and humanitarian groups – and has said Hamas steals supplies.A third government official said the fact that much more concerted US pressure was applied only after the deaths of international aid workers sent a message that “Palestinian lives do not matter”. Nearly 200 Palestinian aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to Humanitarian Outcomes, a group that monitors aid-worker deaths. Concern over US weapon transfersThe officials’ accounts are the latest sign of deepening disquiet and a growing readiness within the ranks of the Biden administration to question the moral and legal basis of US backing for Israel, a bedrock of Washington policy going back decades across administrations. Some criticised the support as apparently unconditional, citing Washington’s $3.8bn (£3bn) a year package of military assistance to Israel and the potential sale of $18bn worth of F-15 fighter jets. The supply of arms has continued uninterrupted despite the number of people killed in Gaza now standing at more than 33,000, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which are accepted by the US government. Israel has said it has killed more than 9,000 “Hamas operatives and fighters of other terror groups” in Gaza but has not provided evidence for the figure. It has consistently denied killing large numbers of civilians, either deliberately or through negligence. But accusations of reckless targeting have continued to grow, leading to calls in the US for an assessment over whether Israel’s military campaign was in breach of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of non-combatants. State department spokesman Matthew Miller said last week that the US had “not at this time concluded that Israel has violated international humanitarian law” but said its assessments were “very much ongoing”. But referring to the assessments, Mr Finucane, the former state department lawyer, told the BBC: “I think they’re likely dramatically overstating the reality.” He described a new process the department launched in September to monitor any civilian harm by partner military forces as essentially “guidance” with “no structure behind it”. Since the dissent letter by officials in February, US policy has still lacked “course correction despite its manifest failures”, according to Mr Finucane, who is now a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group.Responding to the criticism, the state department spokesman said that Mr Blinken “takes all feedback and opinion seriously, and it causes him to reflect on his own thinking in terms of policymaking”.Related TopicsMiddle EastIsrael-Gaza warIsraelGazaUnited StatesJoe BidenMore on this storyBiden says Netanyahu making a ‘mistake’ on GazaPublished4 hours agoCan US pressure deliver Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza?Published12 hours agoBiden tells Israel it must prevent civilian harm to keep US supportPublished5 days agoWhere does Israel get its weapons?Published4 days agoTop StoriesChildren seeking gender care let down by weak evidence, review saysPublished3 hours agoLive. 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No, it’s South Korea’s election nightChappell Roan is the freaky, fun pop star you need to knowHow much is the cost of a UK passport going up?Big Zuu cuts down on cooking and rap for RamadanElsewhere on the BBCThe controversial history of UK film censorshipEllen and Mark explore as the British Board of Film Classification publishes its new guidelinesAttributionSounds’I was deepfaked by my best friend’A young woman who was targeted by an online abuser tells her story for the very first timeAttributionSoundsThese adorable mice love Sir David AttenboroughThey bond over Planet Earth III and mountains of poo!AttributioniPlayerThe definitive story of the iconic pop group ABBAHow much do you really know about Sweden’s biggest musical export?AttributionSoundsMost Read1Gang guilty of running £54m ‘benefit fraud factories’2Murder suspect ‘shouldn’t have been allowed to die’3Tesco says price pressures easing as profits soar4’Airport car park fire turned my life upside down’5Major gender care review, and ‘Mr Bates vs thugs in suits’6Children let down by ‘weak’ gender care – review7German art gallery worker fired for hanging own art8’Zombie’ drug found in cannabis THC vapes in UK9Fourth Bridget Jones film to hit screens in 202510Arizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/17FC1/production/_133114289_d586fb987728e416499cb56a04ab94f545a7ba450_306_3002_16892000x1125.jpg)
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBiden pressure on Israel not enough, say dissenting US officialsPublished22 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPABy Tom BatemanBBC State Department correspondent, Washington DCPresident Biden’s pressure on Israel after last week’s deadly attack on aid workers did not go far enough and will fail to stem the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, according to current and former US officials who have spoken to the BBC.They said internal dissent in government was growing and called for tougher action on arms transfers.Israel said it would open new aid routes after President Biden threatened to reassess policy following Israeli strikes that killed seven workers from food charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), including a US citizen.But the tougher line was “too little, too late”, said Annelle Sheline, an official working in human rights who quit the state department in protest a fortnight ago. She said the White House “could have done this months ago and prevented famine in northern Gaza”.The US-Israel relationship is currently experiencing its most serious strain in decades, after President Biden’s phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that amounted to a defining moment in the six-month conflict.Within hours of Mr Biden’s call, Israel said it would open the Erez crossing in northern Gaza and the port of Ashdod in southern Israel to aid, and pledged to drastically improve security co-ordination with groups delivering assistance to Palestinians. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: US says Israel must make changes in the coming “hours and days”In a newly-aired interview, Mr Biden said he believed the Israeli prime minister was making “a mistake” in his handling of Gaza. Speaking days after the Israeli strike on WCK workers – and before Israel announced the opening of the Erez crossing – he said his ally should “just call for a ceasefire” with Hamas, and allow “total access to all food and medicine” for Gaza.”I don’t agree with his approach”: Biden criticises Israeli PM in interviewDespite the steps taken by Mr Netanyahu last week, the views of seven current and former US government officials reflect the way internal objections to policy continue to mount. They said many government workers were voicing their frustrations in unofficial forums that include at least a dozen groups on messaging apps, which the officials said counted hundreds of administration staff as members. A spokesperson for the US state department said it encouraged different views on policy and staff could make them known through “appropriate channels”. The US had “been clear at the highest levels publicly and privately with Israel that it must abide by international humanitarian law”, the spokesperson said.Israel doing the bare minimum, official saysFour current officials at varying levels of seniority in different government departments spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity. Two have roles in areas with direct links to foreign policy, including on Israel and Gaza. One who has 25 years of national security experience said internal opposition had become “deeper, wider and more despairing” than at any previous point in the war. While the increase in pressure from President Biden last week was welcome, it did not go far enough to reflect the “moral urgency” to act, they said.”I read it as Israel doing the bare minimum to get through the day and avoid arms transfers being halted,” the official added.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made five trips to Israel since the 7 October attackUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday more than 400 trucks had been cleared to go into Gaza the previous day, describing “important commitments” made by Israel. However, UN officials told the BBC the figure was in fact 223, less than half the daily number it says is required as a minimum to stem the crisis.Some of the officials who spoke to the BBC said they wanted the Biden administration to explicitly condition arms supplies to Israel in order to avoid a full-scale humanitarian collapse. The administration has been under increasing pressure to say whether it is conducting a full review by the state department’s Office of the Legal Advisor into whether Israeli actions in Gaza have breached international law, which could lead to a bar on US weapons shipments. Josh Paul, a former senior official who resigned last year in protest, said the state department had not asked the office to make an assessment because “it does not want the answer it will get”. The state department declined to confirm whether it had referred any cases to the office.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Jose Andres says Monday’s strike which killed seven members of his staff was not a mistake.The officials’ concerns echoed those of dozens of Democrats in Congress, including Biden ally and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – who signed a letter on Friday urging the US to pause weapons’ transfers to Israel in the wake of the 1 April strikes on the WCK aid convoy, which sparked international outrage. The Israeli military called the attack a “grave accident”.Israel has consistently denied violating international law in Gaza, blaming thousands of civilian deaths from its offensive on Hamas for operating from civilian areas. It says it has fought a threat to Israel’s existence after the attacks by Hamas on 7 October, in which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 were taken hostage back to Gaza.The three former officials the BBC spoke to include Ms Sheline and Mr Paul, who both quit in protest, and Brian Finucane, a lawyer who spent a decade at the state department advising on laws of war and arms transfers.Civil servants find avenues for dissentThere has been ongoing dissent within the US government about Gaza policy since the first months of the war. And in February, hundreds of civil servants in the US and European countries warned that their governments risked being complicit in “grave violations of international law” in a letter initially obtained by the BBC.At the time, Robert Ford, a former US ambassador, said that unlike during the lead-up to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, when many officials had reservations but did not speak up, the seriousness of Gaza war had pushed career civil servants to publicly air their concerns.Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than ever Six months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?What we know about Israeli strike on aid convoyA second serving US official who spoke to the BBC anonymously described ongoing exchanges in at least a dozen chat groups on messaging apps Signal and WhatsApp. In these, staff vented exasperation and incredulity at the way they perceived the Biden administration too easily accepted Israeli versions of events. “There’s a lot of eye rolling… People can point out the inconsistencies and the fallacies pretty quickly,” said the official. The World Central Kitchen aid workers killed on 1 April had been transporting food aid delivered by sea into Gaza while Israeli-controlled land routes remained tightly restricted. A “foolish” system of deliveries by sea, as well as plans for a US-built floating pier to get aid in Gaza, were both designed “as a workaround for the fact that we [did] not pressure the Israelis to let aid in other ways”, said the official who has spent more than two decades working in US national security.Image source, ReutersAfter Israel’s announcement on aid routes on Thursday, Mr Blinken said Washington would judge the move by “results” in protecting civilians.Israel has previously blamed the United Nations for aid delivery failures – a claim categorically rejected by the UN and humanitarian groups – and has said Hamas steals supplies.A third government official said the fact that much more concerted US pressure was applied only after the deaths of international aid workers sent a message that “Palestinian lives do not matter”. Nearly 200 Palestinian aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to Humanitarian Outcomes, a group that monitors aid-worker deaths. Concern over US weapon transfersThe officials’ accounts are the latest sign of deepening disquiet and a growing readiness within the ranks of the Biden administration to question the moral and legal basis of US backing for Israel, a bedrock of Washington policy going back decades across administrations. Some criticised the support as apparently unconditional, citing Washington’s $3.8bn (£3bn) a year package of military assistance to Israel and the potential sale of $18bn worth of F-15 fighter jets. The supply of arms has continued uninterrupted despite the number of people killed in Gaza now standing at more than 33,000, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which are accepted by the US government. Israel has said it has killed more than 9,000 “Hamas operatives and fighters of other terror groups” in Gaza but has not provided evidence for the figure. It has consistently denied killing large numbers of civilians, either deliberately or through negligence. But accusations of reckless targeting have continued to grow, leading to calls in the US for an assessment over whether Israel’s military campaign was in breach of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of non-combatants. State department spokesman Matthew Miller said last week that the US had “not at this time concluded that Israel has violated international humanitarian law” but said its assessments were “very much ongoing”. But referring to the assessments, Mr Finucane, the former state department lawyer, told the BBC: “I think they’re likely dramatically overstating the reality.” He described a new process the department launched in September to monitor any civilian harm by partner military forces as essentially “guidance” with “no structure behind it”. Since the dissent letter by officials in February, US policy has still lacked “course correction despite its manifest failures”, according to Mr Finucane, who is now a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group.Responding to the criticism, the state department spokesman said that Mr Blinken “takes all feedback and opinion seriously, and it causes him to reflect on his own thinking in terms of policymaking”.Related TopicsMiddle EastIsrael-Gaza warIsraelGazaUnited StatesJoe BidenMore on this storyBiden says Netanyahu making a ‘mistake’ on GazaPublished4 hours agoCan US pressure deliver Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza?Published12 hours agoBiden tells Israel it must prevent civilian harm to keep US supportPublished5 days agoWhere does Israel get its weapons?Published4 days agoTop StoriesChildren seeking gender care let down by weak evidence, review saysPublished3 hours agoLive. Biden says Netanyahu making ‘mistake’ on Gaza as he calls for ceasefireBiden pressure on Israel not enough, say dissenting US officialsPublished22 minutes agoFeaturesThe Papers: Major gender care review, and ‘Mr Bates vs thugs in suits’Peter Higgs – the man who changed our view of the UniverseCan US pressure deliver Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza?Parched and shrinking – vital Moroccan dam dries up’Airport car park fire turned my life upside down’Is this K-drama? No, it’s South Korea’s election nightChappell Roan is the freaky, fun pop star you need to knowHow much is the cost of a UK passport going up?Big Zuu cuts down on cooking and rap for RamadanElsewhere on the BBCThe controversial history of UK film censorshipEllen and Mark explore as the British Board of Film Classification publishes its new guidelinesAttributionSounds’I was deepfaked by my best friend’A young woman who was targeted by an online abuser tells her story for the very first timeAttributionSoundsThese adorable mice love Sir David AttenboroughThey bond over Planet Earth III and mountains of poo!AttributioniPlayerThe definitive story of the iconic pop group ABBAHow much do you really know about Sweden’s biggest musical export?AttributionSoundsMost Read1Gang guilty of running £54m ‘benefit fraud factories’2Murder suspect ‘shouldn’t have been allowed to die’3Tesco says price pressures easing as profits soar4’Airport car park fire turned my life upside down’5Major gender care review, and ‘Mr Bates vs thugs in suits’6Children let down by ‘weak’ gender care – review7German art gallery worker fired for hanging own art8’Zombie’ drug found in cannabis THC vapes in UK9Fourth Bridget Jones film to hit screens in 202510Arizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864
[ad_1] At the time, Robert Ford, a former US ambassador, said that unlike during the lead-up to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, when many officials had reservations but did…
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNigeria’s kidnap crisis: Inside story of a ransom negotiatorPublished10 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy Priya SippyBBC NewsA hostage negotiator has told the BBC that paying ransoms may be illegal, yet it is the only way families can guarantee the release of relatives kidnapped by the gangs terrorising swathes of northern Nigeria.Sulaiman, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is from Kaduna state, where 280 children were recently abducted from a school in the town of Kuriga.He has been working informally in this controversial and risky role for several years – since some of his relatives were taken hostage.”We have to negotiate. You cannot use force to get hostages back. It would put the lives of our loved ones in danger,” he tells the BBC. Sulaiman first became involved in negotiations with kidnappers, referred to locally as bandits, in 2021 – a year before the payment of ransoms became illegal in Nigeria.Over the last three years he says he has negotiated the release of more than 200 hostages – a small fraction of the thousands of people abducted over the last decade.The negotiations take patience – and courage.”The government believes I have been helping the bandits,” he says, speaking from an undisclosed location.”The bandits think I have been getting money from the government, so I am also a kidnap target.” His first negotiation took place as he was trying to raise a ransom of around $12,500 (£9,800) for two of his relatives who had been abducted.”I did not know what I was doing. I was just speaking with the bandits – and begging them,” he says.However his patient approach with the gang members worked and in the end his relatives were freed – though he had to sell his farm in his home village to cover the ransom.Image source, AFPImage caption, This student, kidnapped in July 2021, was released before the payment of ransoms became illegalWhen word spread about the successful release, other families who were victims of kidnapping came to him for support. Soon his phone was constantly busy. “Almost everyone in my village has had a family member kidnapped,” he says, adding that he helps them out free of charge.And despite the outlawing of ransom payments, people still come to him – desperate for help.Sulaiman admits that it is a scary position for him to be in: “The government does not like negotiation with the bandits, and can send people to jail for doing that.”He puts his success down to his appreciation of the root causes of Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis, which he says is fuelled mainly by poverty and high levels of youth unemployment. Competition for land and resources between cattle herders and farmers has also contributed to the problem. The kidnappers tend to be former herders from the Fulani ethnic group, who target villages where mainly Hausa farmers reside.”When I speak to the bandits, I understand those people,” he says, adding that the negotiations tend to take place in Hausa, the lingua franca of the mainly Muslim north – though most kidnappers’ mother tongue is Fulfulde, spoken by the Fulani people.”I tell them that I know that they are living a difficult life in the bush, without electricity. I know that they feel they have been forgotten by the government.” Image source, AFPImage caption, Growing up in rural Nigeria has given the ransom negotiator an understanding of the issues fuelling the kidnappingThe gangs are often made up of gunmen on motorbikes who target areas and particular families on the word of paid informants. It is a huge, sophisticated money-making operation.Around 30,000 bandits in more than 100 gangs operate in north-western Nigeria, according to the Centre for Democracy and Development – a think-tank based in the capital, Abuja.Sulaiman says the success of his negotiations depends on the leader of the kidnappers: “Some bandits I have dealt with still keep hostages and want more money, even after you have paid the ransom.”But some of them release the hostages as soon as you pay.” The process can be arduous, taking up to 50 days to release a hostage and anywhere between 20 and 30 phone calls. “You have to use soft language. They can be rude and they will insult you but you have to remain calm,” he says. Despite a shortage of bank notes in Nigeria, the kidnappers demand that ransoms are paid in cash as bank transfers can be easily traced. Payments are usually delivered by a parent or a relative of one of the abductees, Sulaiman explains.”The bandit will call them and give them step-by-step directions on how to find them in the bush. Once they reach there, the bandit will count the money, note by note.” Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Sulaiman feels dialogue would work better than a heavy-handed approach to solve the crisisSometimes the bandits request motorcycles as part of the ransom payment, as well as alcohol and cigarettes. When another close contact of Sulaiman’s was kidnapped from a university along with other students – before ransom payments became illegal – he says the government paid around $2,370 for each student’s freedom – though there has never been any official confirmation of this. “The government will never admit on the record they paid [even then] because for them that would be admitting failure. But as insiders we know what happened and we didn’t have that kind of money,” he says.Sulaiman became involved in those negotiations and says the kidnappers had first demanded around $32,000 for each hostage and were eventually bargained down.These days with villagers left to foot the bill, few people can afford to raise the cash for ransoms. They often turn to crowd-funding for the money, though this is now also proving difficult given how the insecurity has devastated the economy.Bandits have been known to either kill hostages or release them when there is no hope of payment. Sulaiman thinks the spate of recent mass abductions from schools, and the threat to kill the students, may be a ploy to get the authorities to take notice: “They think the government will pay.”There are reports that the authorities have continued to pay ransoms on occasion – though this is always denied.And President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been at pains to say “not a dime” will be paid for the recently abducted children of Kuriga, directing the security forces to ensure their release. Between July 2022 and June 2023, armed gangs demanded more than $6m in ransom payments, according to a report by SBM Intelligence, a security risk consulting firm. The ransom negotiator agrees with the authorities that continuing to pay up will just fuel the kidnapping business: “Ransom payments do encourage kidnapping. The bandits are just looking for money.”But he is certain that the heavy-handed approach of military force is not the answer: “If I can advise the government, they should meet these people and have dialogue with them.” Until then, Sulaiman fears the next time his phone rings, it will be another abduction case. Determined to keep helping his community, he is sure to answer the call.More on Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis:Schoolboy recounts daring escapeWhy mass abductions have returned to haunt NigeriaThe motorcycle bandits terrorising northern Nigeria’How I survived my train hijacking’Kidnapping and debt: A Nigerian legacyRelated TopicsNigeriaAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesThis will be year economy bounces back, Sunak says, after inflation fallsPublished7 hours agoBank of England expected to hold interest ratesPublished25 minutes agoFresh string of defeats in the Lords over government’s Rwanda billPublished4 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Rwanda defeat in Lords and ‘rate cut hope’Famine looms in Sudan as civil war survivors tell of killings and rapesWill the UK economy ‘bounce back’ this year? AudioWill the UK economy ‘bounce back’ this year?AttributionSoundsThe GP who became Ireland’s youngest taoiseachEmma Barnett: ‘Why I wanted a baby loss certificate’Bafta TV Awards: The list of nominationsWatch: An emotional farewell to the Hairy Bikers. VideoWatch: An emotional farewell to the Hairy BikersPain, anger and disquiet as new Welsh first minister takes the stageLondon Tube strikes: All you need to knowElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerAre you a descendant of royalty?Geneticist Dr. Adam Rutherford sets out to prove that we all are…AttributionSoundsFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayerA satirical look at the scheming world of PRCharles Prentiss and Martin McCabe embark on a new career as spin doctorsAttributionSoundsMost Read1Woman found with £2bn in Bitcoin convicted2Sabalenka’s ‘heart broken’ after ‘unthinkable tragedy’AttributionSport3Man given ‘wife’s ashes’ before her cremation4Macron flexes political muscle in boxing photos5Rwanda defeat in Lords and ‘rate cut hope’6We want to keep our Christmas tree up all year7I am no longer best man to be Irish PM – Varadkar8Fresh defeats in the Lords over Rwanda bill9UK rent prices up 9% in record yearly rise, says ONS10Man murdered couple with drug before re-writing will](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/9A48/production/_132969493_reuters-nigeriapr_promo.jpg)
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTwo arrested in Russia’s first LGBTQ+ extremism casePublished5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, A participant waves a rainbow flag during the St Petersburg Pride in 2019. Today, the flag would be considered a “symbol of extremism”By BBC RussianBBC NewsTwo employees of an LGBTQ+ club in the Russian city of Orenburg have been arrested on suspicion of being members of an “extremist organisation”.It is the first criminal case of its kind since Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the so-called “international LGBT movement” last November.If found guilty, the defendants face up to ten years in jail.The hearing was held behind closed doors. The art director of the club, Alexander Klimov, and administrator Diana Kamilyanova will remain in custody until 18 May. The court said that the defendants “acted in premeditation with a group of people… who also support the views and activities of the international public association LGBT”.Police raided the club, called Pose, in early March following a request from the local prosecutor. They were reportedly accompanied by members from a local nationalist group called “Russian Community”.A statement posted on the nationalist group’s site said that the items confiscated during the police raid at the club included a female stage costume, five female wigs, and fake female breasts. The administrators of the site praised “Russian Community” members, saying they had “demonstrated a high level of training and organisation” in their “first successful raid”.Police began raiding gay clubs across Russia soon after the Supreme Court’s decision last year.Ksenia Mikhailova, a lawyer for Russian LGBT group “Coming Out”, said the Orenburg case was “a big surprise” which could show the authorities are now treating instances of so-called LGBT propaganda as a criminal rather than an administrative offense, as had previously been the case. The case could set a precedent for how the law is applied to LGBTQ+ people in Russia. It is also a sign of the growing crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in the country.Since Russia’s Supreme Court labelled the “international LGBT movement” as an extremist organisation, the rainbow flag is now also considered a symbol of extremism. Last month, a woman in the city of Nizhny Novgorod was detained for five days after police spotted her wearing earrings featuring a rainbow symbol.In recent years Russia’s LGBT community has come under increasing pressure from the authorities. In 2013, a law was adopted prohibiting “the propaganda [amongst minors] of non-traditional sexual relations”.President Vladimir Putin has previously said he sees LGBT activism as part of an attack by the West on “traditional Russian values”.Last July, gender reassignment surgery was banned. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBlinken visits Middle East to discuss Gaza post-war planPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was greeted by Saudi officials on arrival in JeddahBy Tom Bateman, State Department correspondent & Rushdi Abu Alouf, Gaza correspondentBBC News, in Jeddah and IstanbulThe US secretary of state has flown to the Middle East to discuss a post-war plan to govern and secure Gaza.Antony Blinken’s talks with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia and then Egypt will focus on what the US calls “an architecture for lasting peace”.It comes as witnesses said Israeli forces had escalated their operation around al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, carrying out a number of air strikes.Earlier, Israel’s military said it had killed 90 gunmen there since Monday.Separately, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are continuing in Qatar to bring about a ceasefire and the release of hostages. But there are few signs that a breakthrough is imminent.Entire Gaza population facing acute hunger – US Gaza faces famine during Ramadan, the holy month of fastingWhat is famine and when is it declared?Mr Blinken’s sixth trip to the region since the start of the war in Gaza saw him land in Jeddah on Wednesday afternoon to meet the Saudi leadership. Descending from the plane shortly before sundown he was greeted by waiting officials, including Mazin al-Himali from the Saudi foreign ministry, who embraced Mr Blinken. He is expected to meet the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, at the royal palace on Wednesday night. State department spokesman Matthew Miller said they would discuss efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and increase aid deliveries to Gaza, amid further dire warnings about the scale of the humanitarian crisis there.A UN-backed food security assessment this week said 1.1 million people in Gaza were struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation, adding that a man-made famine in the north was imminent between now and May.Also on the agenda would be “co-ordination on post-conflict planning for Gaza, including ensuring Hamas can no longer govern or repeat the attacks of 7 October, a political path for the Palestinian people with security assurances with Israel, and an architecture for lasting peace and security in the region”, Mr Miller added.Mr Blinken will travel to Cairo on Thursday to meet Egyptian leaders.Image source, ReutersImage caption, A UN-backed assessment says about 210,000 people in northern Gaza face imminent famineThe Americans are trying to bring together a major deal that would put the internationally-recognised Palestinian Authority (PA) back into Gaza for the first time since it was driven out by Hamas 17 years ago. Nothing has yet been drawn up, but the ideas are thought to include possible support on the ground from Arab nations, while all the parties including Israel would commit to pursuing a two-state solution – the long-held international formula for peace. The major Arab sponsor Saudi Arabia would normalise relations with Israel in return for access to advanced US weapons and an American-backed civilian nuclear power programme. However, even if such a multi-part plan could be agreed, US officials concede it is likely only attainable in the longer term. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the idea of PA control of Gaza. The issue is likely to be another sticking point amid an already fractious relationship with President Biden.Some of those familiar with the plan concede it feels ambitious given the lack of breakthrough on a ceasefire agreement, the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and because any remaining trust between Israelis and Palestinians is shattered. But the US administration hopes it can still use the moment to grasp the initiative. Mr Blinken will also travel to Israel on Friday as part of his current trip. According to Mr Miller, he will discuss with Israeli leaders the hostage negotiations and the “need to ensure the defeat of Hamas, including in Rafah, in a way that protects the civilian population”. President Joe Biden has warned Israel that it would be a “mistake” to launch an offensive in the southern city of Rafah, where more than a million displaced civilians are sheltering. But on Tuesday, Mr Netanyahu said Israel was “determined to complete the elimination of [the Hamas] battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion”. More than 31,900 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.The conflict began when about 1,200 people were killed and 253 others were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel on 7 October, according to Israeli tallies. Image source, ReutersImage caption, Smoke was seen rising from Gaza City as Israeli forces continued their operation in and around al-Shifa hospitalOn the ground in Gaza on Wednesday, heavy fighting raged around al-Shifa hospital as the Israeli military’s operation there continued for a third day.Witnesses told the BBC that tanks previously positioned around the hospital complex had now moved eastwards, along al-Wahda Street.They also reported a significant increase in the number of air strikes in Gaza City and other northern areas.”The relentless sounds of explosions can be heard from around al-Shifa hospital,” said Osama Tawfiq, who lives 700m (2,300ft) from the complex. “Since Monday morning, we feel like as if the war has just begun.”According to the witnesses, the strikes targeted homes belonging to members of Hamas who had been assigned to serve on so-called “emergency committees” in place of the armed group’s police force.Among them was Amjad Hathat, who was reportedly killed along with 11 other emergency committee members at the Kuwait roundabout in Gaza City on Tuesday evening while securing the distribution of humanitarian aid.Mr Tawfiq said that the situation had deteriorated in his area, after a period of relative calm that followed the withdrawal of Israeli forces in mid-January.”We are not only enduring bombings but also facing a looming food crisis.””During last Ramadan, we could break our fast with some food. But now we struggle to find anything beyond water that smells like sewage and tastes like seawater, as well as meagre bread. My children are suffering from hunger.”A UN-backed food security assessment has said 1.1 million people in Gaza are struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation, and that a man-made famine in the north of the territory is imminent between now and May.On Wednesday morning, the Israeli military said its troops had killed approximately 90 gunmen and questioned 300 suspects during what it called the “precise operation” in and around al-Shifa.They first raided the hospital in November, when the military accused it of being a Hamas “command and control centre” – an allegation that Hamas and hospital officials denied. The military said the latest operation was launched on Monday because “senior Hamas terrorists have regrouped inside… and are using it to command attacks against Israel”.Hamas acknowledged a senior commander of its internal security force was killed there on Monday, but said he was co-ordinating aid deliveries. It said the other people killed were patients and displaced civilians sheltering there.The military said it was taking measures to avoid harm to civilians and keep the hospital functioning, but witnesses told BBC Arabic’s Gaza Today programme that that the situation there was catastrophic and that civilians, including medics, were crowded in corridors.”Children do not stop crying because they are dying of hunger and thirst… and the wounded suffer all night long due to the lack of medicines and painkillers,” one displaced woman, who asked not to be named, said on Tuesday. “The bulldozers are sweeping away the places where we are staying, and shrapnel is flying above our heads everywhere,” she added. Additional reporting by David Gritten in LondonRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelAntony BlinkenPalestinian territoriesHamasSaudi ArabiaUnited StatesMore on this storyEntire Gaza population facing acute hunger – USPublished1 day agoTop StoriesLive. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIrish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to step downPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Irish PM fights back tears announcing his resignationThe Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar will step down as party leader immediately and will resign as taoiseach as soon as his Fine Gael successor is selected.Announcing his resignation, Mr Varadkar described leading his country as “the most fulfilling time of my life”.He was Ireland’s youngest PM in 2017 when he became Fine Gael leader.He currently leads the coalition government in Dublin, along with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.Speaking from the steps of government buildings in Dublin on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar said he had “led Ireland from unemployment to full employment, from budget deficit to budget surplus, from austerity to prosperity”. Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Mr Varadkar said he felt he was not the “best person for the job anymore”Mr Varadkar added that he was “proud that we have made the country a more equal and more modern place when it comes to the rights of children, the LGBT community, equality for women and their bodily autonomy”.During his time as taoiseach, Mr Varadkar championed referendums to change the Irish constitution legalising same-sex marriage and abortion. Mr Varadkar also listed work to improve the affordability of childcare among his achievements as well as increasing government spending on arts and culture, international development, and public infrastructure. He also conceded that “there are areas where we have been much less successful” but added: “I hope you’ll forgive me if I leave it to others to point them out on a day like this.”Why did Leo Varadkar resign?Mr Varadkar said his reasons for stepping down were “both personal and political”.He said that he felt the current government “could be re-elected” but he felt he was “not the best person for the job anymore”.Image source, Nick BradshawWhen is the next general election in Ireland? The Irish government parties have said they do not expect Wednesday’s announcement to trigger a general election.In the election of 2020, Mr Varadkar led his party to a third-place finish in terms of number of seats in Dáil Éireann, the lower house in the country’s parliament. As part of the coalition deal struck between the parties it was agreed that Mr Varadkar and Micheál Martin would each hold the position of taoiseach for two years. In 2020, Mr Martin was appointed taoiseach with Mr Varadkar serving as his tánaiste (deputy PM), before the two swapped roles in 2022.Speaking after Mr Varadkar’s resignation announcement, Mr Martin said he had been “surprised” by the decision. “I want to take the opportunity to thank him sincerely, we got on very well,” Mr Martin added.Mr Martin said he remained committed to fulfilling the full term of the coalition government.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Micheál Martin said he was “surprised” when he heard that Mr Varadkar was stepping downEamon Ryan, leader of the Green Party, the smallest of the three coalition partners, said Mr Varadkar had been “an energetic and committed leader of the country who was always supportive of his government colleagues”.Mr Ryan said his party looked forward to the Fine Gael leadership contest and the election of a new taoiseach.In the interim, he said, the government would continue to fulfil its mandate.”I would like to offer my good wishes to Leo as he prepares to depart the taoiseach’s office,” he added.’Run out of road’Speaking in the Dáil, (lower house of Irish parliament) Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald, who is leader of the Opposition, called for a general election. She said it was “unthinkable” for the next taoiseach to be chosen by a “conclave” of Fine Gael politicians.”This is a time for fresh leadership. Not just a change of taoiseach, but a change of government, and a change of direction,” she said.Ms McDonald claimed that when Fine Gael took power in 2011 Ireland had one of the highest levels of home ownership in Europe, but it had since declined to one of the worst.”This government has now run out of steam and run out of road, so rather than limping on in a caretaking capacity let’s go to the people,” she said.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, First Minister Michelle O’Neill (left) called for a general election in the Republic of IrelandThe UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, wished Leo Varadkar well following his resignation.A spokesperson said the PM would “work closely with him and his successor”.”Ireland is a vital partner of the UK,” the spokesperson added. Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle ‘O’Neill also said it was “time for an election” in the Republic of Ireland.”Now is not a “time for the rearranging of the deck chairs,” the Sinn Féin vice president said.She described Fine Gael’s time in power as “13 years of failure”.Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “Leo Varadkar and unionism didn’t often see eye to eye, if at all”. However, the Democratic Unionist Party MLA wished him “all the best”.DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he and Mr Varadkar “were very often on different ends of the political spectrum”.”We differed on the Republic of Ireland’s approach to legacy, and sharply differed on his approach and attitude on the [Northern Ireland] Protocol and the constitutional future of Northern Ireland,” he said. “Where we differed, we did so respectfully.”Sir Jeffrey added that there were other areas where they worked together on matters of mutual benefit “for both our countries”.Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins was told of the taoiseach’s intention to resign shortly before Wednesday’s press conference and the pair spoke immediately afterwards.A spokesman for the president said: “Over the course of this, the president thanked the taoiseach for his service.”Who could be the next taoiseach?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris is the early favourite with many bookmakersAt the moment four names are being mentioned.Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, 37, is the early favourite with many bookmakers. He gained a high profile as health minister when the Republic of Ireland voted to amend its constitution to legalise abortion in 2018 and subsequently served as justice minister. Helen McEntee became a TD at the age of 26, succeeding her father after he took his own life. Image source, Niall CarsonImage caption, After widespread disorder in Dublin last year, Helen McEntee faced down calls to resign from opposition partiesIn 2017 she took on the high-profile role as minister of state for European affairs and in June 2020 she was promoted to become minister of justice. After widespread disorder in Dublin in November 2023 she faced down calls to resign from opposition parties.Paschal Donohoe is the public expenditure minister and was previously finance minister from 2017 to 2022, arguable the second-most important cabinet post. The Dublin Central representative is also president of the Eurogroup – which brings together the finance ministers of the eurozone for informal meetings.Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys represents the Cavan-Monaghan constituency which borders Northern Ireland. As well as her main cabinet post, she covered the justice ministry for two periods while McEntee took maternity leave. If she became taoiseach she would be the first Protestant to hold the post.You can follow continuing coverage of the fallout from the resignation of the Irish Taoiseach, live with BBC News on iPlayer.Related TopicsLeo VaradkarRepublic of IrelandFine GaelMore on this story’I am no longer best man to be Irish PM,’ says Leo VaradkarPublished5 hours agoThe GP who became Ireland’s youngest taoiseachPublished3 hours agoIrish voters reject amendments to constitutionPublished9 MarchTop StoriesLive. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWestern officials in protest over Israel Gaza policyPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, Getty ImagesBy Tom BatemanBBC State Department correspondentMore than 800 serving officials in the US and Europe have signed a statement warning that their own governments’ policies on the Israel-Gaza war could amount to “grave violations of international law”.The “transatlantic statement”, a copy of which was passed to the BBC, says their administrations risk being complicit in “one of the worst human catastrophes of this century” but that their expert advice has been sidelined. It is the latest sign of significant levels of dissent within the governments of some of Israel’s key Western allies.One signatory to the statement, a US government official with more than 25 years’ national security experience, told the BBC of the “continued dismissal” of their concerns.”The voices of those who understand the region and the dynamics were not listened to,” said the official.”What’s really different here is we’re not failing to prevent something, we’re actively complicit. That is fundamentally different from any other situation I can recall,” added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The statement is signed by civil servants from the US, the EU and 11 European countries including the UK, France and Germany. It says Israel has shown “no boundaries” in its military operations in Gaza, “which has resulted in tens of thousands of preventable civilian deaths; and… the deliberate blocking of aid… putting thousands of civilians at risk of starvation and slow death.””There is a plausible risk that our governments’ policies are contributing to grave violations of international law, war crimes and even ethnic cleansing or genocide,” it said.Israelis tell MPs of Hamas sexual violence evidenceInjured, hungry and alone – the Gazan children orphaned by warThe identities of those who signed or endorsed the statement have not been made public and the BBC has not seen a list of names, but understands that nearly half are officials who each have at least a decade of experience in government. One retired US ambassador told the BBC that the coordination by dissenting civil servants in multiple governments was unprecedented.”It’s unique in my experience watching foreign policy in the last 40 years,” said Robert Ford, a former American ambassador to Algeria and Syria. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Biden’s support for Israel has lost him votes among Arab AmericansHe likened it to concerns within the US administration in 2003 over faulty intelligence leading up to the invasion of Iraq, but said this time many officials with reservations did not want to remain silent. “[Then there were] people who knew better, who knew that intelligence was being cherry-picked, who knew that there wasn’t a plan for the day after, but nobody said anything publicly. And that turned out to be a serious problem,” he said. “The problems with the Gaza war are so serious and the implications are so serious that they feel compelled to go public,” he said. The officials argue the current nature of their governments’ military, political or diplomatic support for Israel “without real conditions or accountability” not only risks further Palestinian deaths, but also endangers the lives of hostages held by Hamas, as well as Israel’s own security and regional stability. “Israel’s military operations have disregarded all important counterterrorism expertise gained since 9/11… the [military] operation has not contributed to Israel’s goal of defeating Hamas and has instead strengthened the appeal of Hamas, Hezbollah and other negative actors”. Why are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza?The officials say they have expressed their professional concerns internally but have been “overruled by political and ideological considerations”. The US State Department, the European Union Commission and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have been approached for comment.The statement suggests that while Israel’s military operation has caused unprecedented destruction of lives and property in Gaza, there appears to be no workable strategy to effectively remove Hamas as a threat, nor for a political solution to ensure Israel’s security in the longer term. It calls for the US and European governments to “stop asserting to the public that there is a strategic and defensible rationale behind the Israeli operation”. Israeli officials have consistently rejected such criticism. In response to the new statement, the Israeli embassy in London said it was bound by international law.It added: “Israel continues to act against a genocidal terrorist organisation which commits war crimes as well as crimes against humanity.”Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that only full military pressure on Hamas will secure the further release of hostages, while the army says it has destroyed significant underground infrastructure used by the group, including command centres, weapons sites and facilities for holding hostages. On Saturday, the Israeli military said: “Throughout [the city of] Khan Yunis, we have eliminated over 2,000 terrorists above and below ground.”Israel has repeatedly rejected claims it deliberately targets civilians, accusing Hamas of hiding in and around civilian infrastructure. Since the start of the war, more than 26,750 Palestinians have been killed and at least 65,000 injured, according to health officials in the Gaza Strip, which has been governed by Hamas and blockaded by Israel and Egypt since 2007. Israeli officials say that 9,000 of those killed were Hamas militants but have not provided evidence for the figure. More than 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas attacks of October 7th, and a further 100 died of their injuries according to Israeli officials. More than 250 people were taken as hostages into Gaza. Image source, Getty ImagesThe US administration has repeatedly said that “far too many Palestinians have been killed” in Gaza, and that Israel has the right to ensure October 7th “can never happen again”. It has recently adopted a tougher line over elements of Israeli policy, including becoming increasingly outspoken over a failure to act against settler violence in the occupied West Bank. On Thursday, President Biden announced the first ever US sanctions against settlers responsible for attacking Palestinians. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has previously attempted to address reservations over US policy within the ranks of the State Department, telling officials in November: “We’re listening: what you share is informing our policy and our messages.” The department has a “dissent channel” set up during the Vietnam War to enable diplomats to express disagreements with official US positions without fear of retaliation.In the latest statement, the largest numbers of signatories are understood to be working in EU institutions, the Netherlands and the US. Most of the US government officials who signed are understood to work for the State Department, while others are officials serving at the White House, Homeland Security, Justice and other government departments. The BBC has previously reported on dissent among some UK Foreign Office staff amid wider complaints over a failure to explicitly highlight the spiralling civilian death toll in Gaza. It is understood that “staff counsellors” in the Foreign Office previously collated internal concerns, but that there is currently disquiet at the lack of formal mechanism to register dissent over the Israel-Hamas war. Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesUnited StatesWest BankJoe BidenMore on this storyUS sanctions Israeli settlers over West Bank violencePublished13 hours agoIsraelis tell MPs of Hamas sexual violence evidencePublished1 day agoAt least half of Gaza buildings damaged or destroyed, new analysis showsPublished2 days agoIsrael W Bank hospital raid kills three Palestinian fightersPublished2 days agoTop StoriesLive. 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