Israel to be involved in Gaza security, not aid distribution, US envoy says

Israel and Hamas will not be involved in Gaza aid distribution but Israel will take part in providing security, US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said today according to Reuters.

“The Israelis are going to be involved in providing necessary military security because it is a war zone but they will not be involved in the distribution of the food or even bringing the food into Gaza,” Huckabee told a press conference.

Asked whether the supply of aid was dependent on a ceasefire being agreed between Israel and Hamas, Huckabee said: “The humanitarian aid will not depend on anything other than our ability to get the food into Gaza.”

“So, it is not dependent upon other things regarding military action,” he said.

Mediation efforts by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have not been successful in implementing another phase of the ceasefire, which Israel broke in March. Israel demands the total disarmament of Hamas. The Palestinian rejects this demand.

Hamas has said it is willing to free all remaining Israeli captives and agree to a ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza.

Israel has said it plans to expand its military campaign in Gaza, which has been devastated during the war and prompted warnings from the UN that the 2.3 million Palestinians face imminent famine.

READ: Famine looms as dozens of Gaza communal kitchens shut as supplies run out