TEL AVIV – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that he decided to reinstate aid to Gaza following a weeks-long blockade due to influence from allied nations.
In a video statement posted to social media, Netanyahu said that Israel’s allies had voiced concern about “images of hunger”
Netanyahu noted that Israel’s “closest allies,” although he did not specify them by name, expressed concerns over the unfolding situation. They conveyed that they “could not tolerate images of widespread hunger,” and warned that such a situation would challenge their continued support.
“Therefore to achieve victory, we need to somehow solve the problem,” Netanyahu said.
The aid that would be let in would be “minimal,” he said without specifying precisely when it would resume.
On Sunday, Israel confirmed the decision to restart aid shipments to the ravaged region, following a suspension that had been in place since early March. The blockade, affecting supplies like fuel, food, and medicine, was initially intended to pressure Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza.
The weekslong halt on aid deepened and already dire humanitarian crisis and prompted warnings of famine from food experts.
That change in approach came as Israel launched a new offensive during which it plans to seize Gaza, displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and secure aid distribution inside the territory.
Israel says these are all ways to push Hamas toward agreeing to a ceasefire deal on Israel’s terms. And while the sides continue to negotiate a potential truce, it is not clear how much progress has been made in bridging the remaining sticking points between the sides.
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