At a Cabinet meeting held yesterday evening (Sunday), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had approved the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, despite the objections of a significant portion of Cabinet members. The decision sparked public uproar, as it appeared to contradict the firm stance Israel had taken at the start of Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
Just minutes after the announcement, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement clarifying the reasons for the decision and outlining the scope of the aid:
“On the recommendation of the IDF, and out of an operational necessity to enable the expansion of the intensified fighting aimed at defeating Hamas, Israel will allow a minimal amount of food to enter for the civilian population, in order to prevent a hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip. Such a crisis would jeopardize the continued execution of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. Israel will take steps to prevent Hamas from gaining control over the distribution of the humanitarian aid to ensure it does not reach Hamas terrorists,” the statement said.
“Hamas must only be crushed”
The office of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also released a statement following the Prime Minister’s announcement, expressing strong opposition to the aid:
“Any humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza—certainly into any part of it—will fuel Hamas and give it oxygen, while our hostages languish in the tunnels. The Prime Minister is making a serious mistake with this decision, one that does not even have majority support. Hamas must only be crushed, not given oxygen to survive.”
Operation Gideon’s Chariots
Over the past 24 hours, regular and reserve IDF forces have launched a broad and coordinated ground offensive across both northern and southern Gaza, as part of the overall campaign labelled Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
Extensive airstrikes
During the past week, the Israeli Air Force carried out an opening barrage that struck over 670 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip. The airstrikes targeted weapons depots, terrorist operatives, underground infrastructure, and anti-tank missile launch sites, aiming to disrupt enemy preparations and support the ground forces.
So far, IDF forces have eliminated dozens of terrorists and destroyed both surface and underground terror infrastructure. At this stage, troops are taking control of strategic positions throughout the Gaza Strip to ensure security and dominance in the area.
