The Benjamín Netanyahu government has ordered this Sunday that humanitarian aid re -enters the Gaza Strip, although it is not a total opening of the border crossings because, according to a statement that has been made public tonight, it will be only a handful of trucks that can access Gazati territory, in what they have defined as a “basic” measure to prevent hunger from compromising its military offensive.
The decision, which has been adopted at a security cabinet meeting, does not imply a humanitarian turn within the Israel strategy with respect to Gaza, but a tactical calculation after more than two months of a total blockage to the entry of food into the strip, which has forced that they worked in the area and that they have seen how their warehouses were emptied without being able to replenish the food.
In fact, Israel recognizes in the statement where it has announced its change of position, which the announcement responds to strictly operational reasons: to prevent the total lack of supplies Gideon cars.
The opening of the borders for the entry of humanitarian aid occurs after weeks of international pressure, especially from Washington. The United States has asked its ally, while supporting it militarily, to guarantee minimum food in Gaza. In recent weeks, the images of collapsed hospitals, children without food and bombing on camps have tensioned diplomatic balances. But what Netanyahu’s strategy has not changed: priority remains to defeat Hamas, although it implies that 2 million people live in inhuman conditions.
A minimum relief for a population to the limit
The food distribution, as confirmed by the Israeli government, will be carried out through organizations such as the World Food Program or the Central Kitchen World World program. The system will remain in a temporary way, until the joint mechanism designed by Israel and the United States, which contemplates a few cast points in southern Gaza, managed by private contractors and monitored by the Israeli army. The United Nations and Nations have already rejected this model for not guaranteeing the neutrality or safe access, and for forcing thousands of people displaced to concentrate in areas under military control.
Meanwhile, the blockade continues to affect all other supplies: medicines, fuel, drinking water and sanitary material. Food entry does not imply the siege lifting, much less. Malnutrition has become a constant, hospitals have stopped working due to lack of resources and the health system is collapsed. The Indonesian hospital, one of the last in operation in the north, has ceased its activity after receiving direct impacts of Israeli projectiles. 75% of the ambulances are out of service due to lack of fuel.
In parallel, the land offensive continues its course with the operation cars of Gideon. In the last week, the Israeli army has bombarded more than 670 alleged objectives of Hamas and has advanced over different areas of the north and south of the enclave. The Gazatí Ministry of Health has estimated at least 464 the dead in the last seven days. One of the most recent attacks has reached a camp of displaced in Jan Yunis, killing several women and children and leaving dozens of injured while the stores burned.
In the diplomatic terrain, indirect negotiations in Doha have re -ran off. Israel continues to reject the fire and demand the release of the 58 hostages without committing to end the war. Hamas, meanwhile, maintains its conditions: cessation of hostilities, total withdrawal of the Israeli army and end of the blockade. Frustration has grown even within Israel, where relatives of the hostages accuse Netanyahu executive to be putting their political agenda to the life of the captives. “They are using them as political hostages,” said the mother of one of them on social networks.
The measure announced today by Netanyahu – authorizing the entry of a minimum amount of food – does not significantly relieve the collective punishment to which the population of Gaza is subjected. It is late, it arrives limited and arrives conditioned. What has not stopped is the military offensive. Nor the humanitarian collapse.
