'No humanitarian aid will enter Gaza,' says Israel

A senior official in Israel’s security establishment stated that humanitarian aid will not be allowed to enter Gaza until Hamas release remaining hostages. He argued that the humanitarian supplies and food in the enclave are sufficient for a month or more. 

The essential commodities, including food, water, fuel, and medicines, had been blocked from entering Gaza since March 2, creating a dire situation for starving Palestinians.

Médecins Sans Frontières said that the territory is going to be a “mass grave for Palestinians”, gradually.

However, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the government would soon reallow aid flow into the territory, adding for now, “Israel’s policy is clear that no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza, and blocking this aid is one of the main pressure levers preventing Hamas from using it as a tool with the population.”

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“No one is currently planning to allow any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and there are no preparations to enable such aid,” said Katz, who vowed to escalate the conflict with “tremendous force” if Hamas did not return the hostages, The Guardian reported.

Medical and aid groups noted that the humanitarian situation in Gaza was deteriorating with time. “It has been 18 months, the Gazans were being deprived of necessities,” said Mahmoud Shalabi. 

Meanwhile, the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that there was no reason for a single gram of food or any aid to enter Gaza until the imprisoned in the tunnel were released. 

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Katz stated that regardless of any agreements made, Israeli soldiers will continue to stay in the areas of Gaza they currently control, as well as in nearby Syria and Lebanon. 

Since resuming operations in March, sraeli forces took control of about 30% of the Gaza Strip, which they refer to as an “operational security perimeter.”

In response, Hamas insisted that any deal regarding hostages must ensure that Israeli troops pull out of Gaza.