Defense Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that Israel is close to resuming humanitarian aid to Gaza, despite its initial vow to cut off all aid until Israeli hostages are released. Katz’s statement comes as leaks suggest that Israel needs to restore aid soon if no new ceasefire deal is reached.
Israel had initially said it would permanently cut off aid to Gaza, citing concerns over food distribution and allegations of starvation. However, without restoring aid, Israel could face criticism for allegedly starving the Gazan population.
If aid is restored soon, Israel can avoid claims of attempted starvation against its own population. Katz’s statement suggests that private companies will be used to distribute aid, which aims to sideline Hamas from the process.
This is not the first time Israel has tried to cut Hamas out of food aid distribution. Previous attempts have been met with failure and criticism within the government.
The decision to restart aid remains unclear, with questions surrounding how private contractors can effectively distribute food to over two million Palestinians in Gaza on a daily basis.
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-850289