Israel is trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas
The Israeli officials said the plan included the “capturing of the strip and the holding of territories.” The plan would also seek to prevent Hamas from distributing humanitarian aid, a role that Israel says strengthens the group’s rule in Gaza. It also accuses Hamas of keeping the aid for itself, without providing evidence. Aid workers deny there is a significant diversion of aid to militants, saying the United Nations strictly monitors distribution.
The officials said Israel was in touch with several countries about Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and relocate its population, under what Israel has termed “voluntary emigration.” That proposal has drawn widespread condemnation, including from Israel’s allies in Europe, and rights groups have warned it could be a war crime under international law.
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift tent camp in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis.Credit: AP
For weeks, Israel has been trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas to get the group to agree to its terms in the ceasefire negotiations. But the measures do not appear to have moved Hamas away from its negotiating positions.
The previous ceasefire was meant to lead the sides to negotiate an end to the war, but that has remained elusive. Israel says it won’t agree to end the war until Hamas’ governing and military capabilities are dismantled. Hamas, meanwhile, has sought an agreement that winds down the war without agreeing to disarm.
Israel’s expansion announcement angered families of hostages who fear that any extension of the conflict endangers their loved ones. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which supports families, urged Israel’s decision-makers to prioritise the hostages and secure a deal quickly.
At a Knesset committee meeting on Monday, Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is being held hostage, called on soldiers “not to report for reserve duty for moral and ethical reasons.”
Some reservists have indicated they will refuse to serve in a war they increasingly view as politically motivated.
Palestinians look at the damage after an Israeli army airstrike in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip.Credit: AP
Israel wants to prevent Hamas from handling aid
The defence official said the plan would “separate” Hamas from the aid by using private firms and by using specified areas secured by the Israeli military. The official added that Palestinians would be screened to prevent Hamas from accessing the aid.
According to a memo circulated among aid groups and seen by The Associated Press, Israel told the UN that it will use private security companies to control aid distribution in Gaza. The UN, in a statement on Sunday, said it would not participate in the plan as presented, saying it violates its core principles.
The memo summarised a meeting between the Israeli defence body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, called COGAT, and the UN. It was written by a group briefed on the meeting and sent to aid organisations on Sunday.
According to the memo, under COGAT’s plan, all aid will enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, on approximately 60 trucks daily, and be distributed directly to people. Some 500 trucks entered Gaza every day before the war.
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The memo said that facial recognition will be used to identify Palestinians at logistics hubs and text message alerts will notify people in the area that they can collect aid.
The UN said the plan would leave large parts of the population without supplies. It said the plan “appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy.”
Aid groups have said they are opposed to using any armed or uniformed personnel to distribute aid that could potentially intimidate Palestinians or put them at risk, and they fiercely criticised the new plan.
AP
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