Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now finds himself navigating a landscape more hostile than at any point in his political career – not only from international critics, but increasingly from those once considered unshakeable allies.
What began as a campaign to eliminate Hamas in Gaza has evolved into a sustained siege marked by mounting civilian casualties, starvation, and allegations of war crimes. The international consensus is shifting — and fast.
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom announced they are pausing bilateral trade talks with Israel, on account of the worsening humanitarian crisis – its most excoriating denunciation yet.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Parliament condemned what he said were Mr. Netanyahu’s plans to “drive Gazans from their homes into a corner of the strip to the south and permit them a fraction of the aid that they need.”
For Britain – long seen as walking in diplomatic lockstep with Washington on Middle East policy – this represents an extraordinary divergence.
The move sent a clear message: economic cooperation is no longer insulated from the moral and political ramifications of the Gaza war.
The day prior, Britain, France and Canada issued a rare public reprimand of Israel, demanding it cease the renewed military offensive.
“We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism,” a joint statement by the three countries said. “But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.”
At long last.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has now reached catastrophic proportions, and international observers are finally taking note. Starvation is being used as a weapon of war.
UN agencies and independent aid organizations have reported famine conditions in parts of northern Gaza, with children dying from hunger and dehydration.
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The deliberate blocking of food convoys and the targeting of aid distribution centers have drawn some of the harshest rebukes yet from the international community. The World Food Programme has said that Gaza now faces one of the most severe food crises on the planet, worsened by bureaucratic delays and systematic denial of entry for humanitarian aid.
US President Donald Trump – arguably Israel’s most outspoken supporter during his previous term – recently completed a multi-stop visit to the Middle East.
In a move that stunned many observers, he pointedly skipped Israel. His itinerary included Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, but no handshake with Netanyahu, no flag-draped photo-op in Jerusalem. For a leader who once moved the US embassy to the city and publicly embraced Netanyahu’s policies, the omission was loud in its silence.
During the trip, he also removed sanctions on Syria and indicated possibly beginning nuclear talks with Iran – a move Netanyahu was vehemently opposed to. As he departed the Persian Gulf, Trump also acknowledged that Gaza was starving.
Whether a calculated snub or a strategic distancing, it signaled that even Israel’s most unflinching backers are reevaluating the political cost of association.
On Wednesday, Malala Yousafzai – Nobel Peace Prize laureate and global advocate for girls’ education – finally broke her silence with unequivocal condemnation.
Previously criticized for what some perceived as strategic silence, she has now entered the conversation with clarity and urgency. Her critics long demanded moral consistency, pointing to her outspokenness on the Taliban and education, wondering why she was muted on Gaza.
The answer may lie in the same political and reputational calculus many governments and institutions face: fear of backlash, misinterpretation, or entanglement in a conflict seen as intractable.
Two additional developments have further shaken Israel’s standing.
Netanyahu’s recent declaration that Israel would control the whole of Gaza, and beginning a ground incursion – ‘Operation Gideon’s Chariots’ – while the enclave faces imminent famine has raised global alarm.
Additionally, the recent bombing of medical workers and paramedics in Gaza, including a strike on clearly marked ambulances, drew international outrage. A recent New York Times investigation published footage and analysis that directly contradicted Israel’s claim that it was targeting militants.
Instead, the visuals showed medics attempting to evacuate civilians –unarmed, identifiable, and under fire. This bombshell revelation, supported by victims’ recordings and geolocated imagery, pierced through the fog of war and severely damaged Israel’s credibility.
So where does Netanyahu go from here?
Legal accountability is looming closer, with the International Criminal Court on its heels. Israel’s regional normalization efforts with Arab nations – once seen as Netanyahu’s crowning diplomatic achievement – have stalled or reversed. Saudi Arabia markedly left it off the agenda during Trump’s visit.
Domestic unrest is brewing too, with protests in Tel Aviv and dissent within the Israeli military about the scope and morality of the war effort.
The world is watching. Not just the destruction of Gaza, but the unraveling of the political order that once allowed it to continue unchecked.
For Netanyahu, history may now be less about his survival in office and more about the reckoning that lies ahead.
The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners
The writer is Features Editor at Business Recorder
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