KARACHI: Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai on Wednesday said she was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥� by starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families in Gaza, calling on world leaders to push Israel to end its 鈥榞enocide鈥� in the besieged enclave.

Israel鈥檚 ground and air offensive, launched in October 2023, has displaced nearly all of Gaza鈥檚 2.3 million residents and killed more than 53,000, according to Gaza health authorities. Israeli strikes have killed more than 500 people in the past nine days alone as its military campaign has intensified, Gaza medics say.

The war, now in its 20th month, has left Gaza in ruins and its population facing a worsening hunger crisis. It has strained Israel鈥檚 relations with much of the world and those with its closest ally, the United States, now appear to be wavering.

鈥淚t makes me sick to my stomach to see Israel鈥檚 cruelty and brutality in Gaza. I am heartbroken seeing thousands of starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families,鈥� Malala wrote on X.

鈥淥ur collective humanity calls for global and immediate action. I call on every world leader to put maximum pressure on the Israeli government to end this genocide and protect civilians.鈥�

Malala鈥檚 statement came as Britain announced it was suspending trade talks with Israel and summoning its ambassador over 鈥渆gregious policies鈥� in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament he, along with the leaders of France and Canada, was 鈥渉orrified鈥� by Israel鈥檚 military escalation, repeating calls for a ceasefire.

The three nations had warned on Monday of 鈥渃oncrete actions鈥� against Israel if it did not stop military operations in Gaza and lift restrictions on aid.

In addition to suspending trade talks, Britain announced sanctions against a number of individuals and groups in the Israeli-occupied West Bank over alleged violence against Palestinian residents.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also asked for a review of the EU-Israel trade deal, according to Dutch news agency ANP.

EU sanctions on violent Israeli settlers have been prepared but have so far been blocked by one member state, Kallas said, without naming the country.

鈥淓xternal pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction,鈥� Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein posted on X.

The United Nations said no humanitarian aid had been distributed yet in Gaza, although Israel eased its 11-week-old blockade on Monday.

鈥淚sraeli authorities are requiring us to offload supplies on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom crossing and reload them separately once they secure our team鈥檚 access from inside Gaza,鈥� said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

He said four trucks of baby food were dropped off on the Palestinian side of the border on Monday, and that a few dozen trucks of flour, medicine, nutrition supplies and other basic items entered Gaza on Tuesday.

Israel鈥檚 military said 93 UN aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday via Kerem Shalom 鈥渁fter a thorough security inspection.鈥�

鈥� With inputs from Reuters