Ben-Gvir calls for bombing Gaza food stores

A “major disagreement” broke out on Sunday evening between Israel’s army Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, and far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, regarding the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reported yesterday.

“A heated discussion took place in the security cabinet meeting last night between Zamir and Ben-Gvir, after the latter declared that there was no need to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip,” the channel said.

It quoted Ben-Gvir as saying: “There is no need to bring in aid [to Gaza]. They have enough. Hamas’s food stores should be bombed.”

The channel reported that Zamir responded by saying, “These ideas endanger us,” to which Ben-Gvir responded, “Chief of Staff, we have no legal obligation to provide them with food. Whoever you’re fighting has enough food.”

Claiming that Israel abides by international law and cannot starve the Gaza Strip, Zamir responded: “You don’t understand what you’re saying. You’re endangering us all.”

At this point, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intervened, saying, “Excuse me, every minister here can state their position and disagree with officers,” adding that if ministers make comments that are against the law, it is the attorney general’s job to clarify the law for them.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara then intervened, saying: “Israel is obligated to bring aid into the Strip under international law.”

To which Ben-Gvir responded: “There is enough food there. I don’t understand why anyone who fights against us should automatically be given aid. Where exactly is this written in international law?”

Israel’s Walla news website quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying: “The ministers at the meeting approved the Israeli-American plan to resume the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza, via an international fund and private companies. Ben-Gvir was the only one who voted against the decision.”

“According to the cabinet decision, the new aid mechanism will be activated based on the situation in the Gaza Strip, and aid will be provided in the humanitarian compounds established by Israel in the southern Gaza Strip.”

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the government announced yesterday the expansion of the scope of the ground invasion into the Gaza Strip to include, according to an official political source, the occupation of the Strip and controlling its territory, following the approval of the plan by the security cabinet.

“The operation is likely to continue for several months and include several stages, starting with expanding the ground operations in specific areas, then moving to other areas within the Strip,” it added, noting that “an official statement issued by Netanyahu’s office stated that the plan includes occupying the Gaza Strip and controlling the territory, transferring the Palestinian population south to ensure their safety, preventing Hamas from distributing humanitarian aid, and carrying out powerful strikes aimed at resolving the battle with the movement.”

The announcement of the details of the military plan sparked a wave of criticism from the families of Israeli captives, who described “conceding” the captives and “forfeiting” national security and national cohesion.

The families added in a statement: “The government admits that it chose the land over the return of the hostages, going against the will of more than 70 per cent of the Israeli people.”

READ: UN rejects Israel’s proposal for Gaza aid access