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More now on our top story. And Israeli
air strikes on Gaza continued overnight
despite growing optimism that a peace
deal could be reached soon. We've got
some live pictures coming to us from the
border which shows there is smoke coming
up from Gaza. Late on Saturday, Israel's
prime minister said he hoped to announce
the release of all remaining hostages in
the coming days. And negotiators are
converging on Cairo ahead of talks
tomorrow aimed at ending nearly two
years of war. Dr. James Smith is an
emergency doctor who spent two and a
half months in Gaza last year. He's now
a lecturer in humanitarian studies at
UCL and is regularly in touch with
medics in the territory. Thanks very
much indeed for being with us. What's
your impression of what's happening on
the ground at the moment while there's
this optimism towards a possible peace
deals?
>> Well, as as you've just reported and as
is always the case as negotiations get
underway, Israel has intensified its
violence throughout Gaza. We know that
at least 70 Palestinians have been
killed in the last 24 hours alone, most
of them in Gaza City. The hospitals
throughout Gaza are overwhelmed every
single day uh uh by the continuous
influx of injured and and and mortally
wounded Palestinians from Israel's
attacks. In the last week alone, Israel
has continued to target our healthcare
worker colleagues. Nurse Marwan Abdin
was shot by an Israeli drone inside NASA
hospital. MSF occupational the therapist
Omar Hayek killed while waiting for the
bus to go to work. Nurse Taznim al-Hams
kidnapped in Moasi. The situation as you
describe is is as bad as it has been at
the worst of um the days over the course
of the last two years. So tell me, how
is it going to affect uh the
distribution of aid, for example, if
there is a withdrawal to an initial line
by the Israeli forces? Is that going to
complicate or is that going to make it
easier for you to get aid to the right
places?
>> Well, the short answer is, I mean, it is
impossible really to to navigate uh the
distribution of humanitarian aid while
the Israeli military remains in Gaza,
while the Israeli military continues to
occupy the Gaza Strip. Of course, uh the
withdrawal of Israeli troops and and a
complete sessation of Israel's attacks
from air, sea, and the ground is
absolutely necessary such that there can
be an upsurge in um in the delivery of
of humanitarian aid
>> because one of the points that the the
peace plan sets out is is to do with
that, isn't it? The kind of distribution
is supposed to be without interference
and it'll be conducted through the UN
and its agencies and the Red Cresant and
so on. Um, how how critical do you think
it'll be to have the the Rafa crossing
reopening for that?
>> It's essential. I mean, Israel has
maintained complete control over
humanitarian access as a core pillar of
its genocide. Um, Israel can have no
role in the coordination and
distribution of humanitarian aid. must
be managed independently through uh
wellestablished and trusted uh
humanitarian organizations which of
course must be led by uh Palestinian
humanitarian organizations and
Palestinian civil society which is best
placed to respond to those needs. But I
must be clear that what we need to
really emphasize here is that the
genocide needs to stop. That's not
something that can be subject to
negotiation. Many of the terms of this
20point plan are simply legal and
political responsibilities that are
incumbent on all states and Israel as an
occupying power. The USA is presenting
itself as a broker of peace, which
frankly is perhaps the most absurd label
that one could ascribe to the US state
given the violence and oppression that
it has wrought worldwide, particularly
in Palestine. What we need to be focused
on now is ending Israel's ongoing
violence and orientating towards the
serious questions of accountability and
justice. It's deeply concerning that
very few are are talking about the
conditions of occupation, apartheid, and
slow genocide that Israel continues to
impose on Palestine and the Palestinian
people.
>> What does uh peace look like if we don't
address these underlying foundational
issues?
>> Dr. Dr. James Smith, thank you very much
indeed for talking to us and just want
to point out that Israel does deny that
it's responsible for genocide in Gaza.
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