Under US pressure, Israel to allow ‘basic’ aid into Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the immediate entry of a “basic quantity of food” into the besieged Gaza Strip to avoid a “starvation crisis”.

“The move came amid mounting pressure from the United States to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis in the territory,” the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported yesterday.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Israeli War Cabinet, where Netanyahu stated: “Israel will allow the entry of a basic amount of food for the population to prevent the worsening of a famine crisis in the Gaza Strip.”

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the decision was based on a recommendation from the Israeli occupation military. The aim is to enable the expansion of military operations while avoiding the development of a hunger crisis in Gaza.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reportedly requested a vote on the matter, but Netanyahu declined, attributing the move to American pressure.

The decision was made “without a cabinet vote and against the apparent will of a majority of ministers,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The daily reported that the move is a temporary solution for the coming days, until a US security company can begin distributing aid in the designated “humanitarian zone”, which is not expected before 24 May.

An Israeli official commented on the decision, saying, “This is a temporary measure, lasting about a week, until the distribution centres are fully set up. Most of these centres will be located in the southern Gaza Strip under military security, and will be managed by American civilian companies.”

The UN and aid companies have slammed Israel’s plan of setting up so-called “humanitarian zones” for the distribution of aid saying this weaponises aid and forcibly displaces Palestinians from their neighbourhoods to the areas where food is available.