Israel expects 'significant crisis' in Gaza as it plans to continue total blockade
Israel will continue its complete blockade of Gaza, with the army expecting a “significant crisis” to unfold in the Palestinian enclave in two weeks.
According to a report on Israeli news site Walla, the Israeli military is not concerned about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been without any humanitarian aid for the last 51 days after Israel declared its total blockade.
Sources in Israel’s Southern Command, who spoke to Walla, estimated that “in two weeks, a significant crisis will begin in the Gaza Strip regarding food, medical equipment and medicines”.
According to these sources, Palestinians in Gaza “will adapt to the situation over the coming months, as long as they have flour, water and reasonable shelter”.
In a statement released on Monday, the UN body OCHA said that since Israel began its blockade, “not a single truck carrying food, fuel, medicine or any other essentials has been allowed in - no matter how critical they are for people’s survival”.
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Last week, the UN agency stated that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities.”
This appears to be of little interest to Southern Command, which is more concerned, according to the Walla report, with Hamas’ next steps.
Sources in the regional army unit expect the Palestinian group to use the acute humanitarian crisis to “force Israel to deliver food and medicine,” using international media reports on the situation as leverage.
A separate report on Israel’s Kan 11 said that the Israeli military estimates that humanitarian aid will run out within a month, and that the army is dealing with how to deliver humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
However, according to the report, Israel believes that the total blockade of Gaza will help release the captives held by Hamas and that without their release, “the situation in Gaza will worsen”.
'No humanitarian aid'
Last week, Israeli media reported that the military was planning to resume the supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz clarified in a statement on his X account that “Israel’s policy is clear and no humanitarian aid is about to enter Gaza.”
“Preventing humanitarian aid to Gaza is one of the main tools of pressure” on Hamas, according to Katz, who said that “no one is going in the current reality to deliver any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and we are not preparing to bring any kind of aid into Gaza”.
Last month, Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously dismissed a petition filed by a number of Israeli human rights organisations to obligate Israel to deliver aid to Gaza. According to the court, the state is not obligated to deliver humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza.
Israel’s humanitarian aid policy is being carried out, according to the Walla report, with full coordination and support from the US.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who took office last week, has expressed support for Israel’s policy and refused the World Health Organisation’s request to pressure the Israeli government to renew the aid.
“How about we put the pressure where it really belongs - on Hamas,” Huckabee said in a video posted to his X account.
The resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza has, according to a report in Israel Hayom last week, been discussed at the highest levels of the Israeli military.
According to the outline proposed by Israel, the distribution of humanitarian aid, if it is renewed, will take place in “distribution sites of supplies” that will be established by the army in the south and centre of Gaza.
'Humanitarian zone'
Large numbers of Palestinians have been forced into the south of Gaza around al-Mawasi, which the Israeli army has described as a “humanitarian zone” - one that it nevertheless continues to bomb.
According to a report in Haaretz, al-Mawasi “is no longer considered a protected reserve, and the army does not rule out a scenario in which it will be necessary to move the civilian population from this area as well”.
The total blockade of Gaza has been denounced around the world. US Senator Bernie Sanders posted that it was a “war crime”, adding that the US “must end our complicity. No more military aid for Netanyahu’s war machine”.
In response, Israel Katz wrote that “Israel is acting in full accordance with international law.”
“The humanitarian condition in Gaza is constantly monitored and large quantities of aid were delivered. Whenever it becomes necessary to allow additional aid, it must be ensured that it does not pass through Hamas,” Katz wrote on his X account, without committing to resume aid.
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