Dismissed contractors compare Gaza’s assistance efforts to slam, the “Hunger Games”
The fired US contractors likened the efforts of Gaza aid to the “Hunger Games.” His former employer and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation rebutted his claims.
JERUSALEM/CAIRO, Aug. 8 (Reuters) – Israel’s political security cabinet approved a plan to control Gaza city early on Friday.
“The IDF prepares to control Gaza city while providing humanitarian assistance to civilians outside of the combat zone,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that it referred to the Israeli Defence Forces.
Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel intended to take military control over the entire Gaza Strip, but the plan was approved on Friday, focusing on Gaza, the largest city in the enclave to the north.
Citing Israeli officials, Axios reporter Barak Ravid has stated about X, which includes plans to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Gaza city and launch an offensive ground there.
Asked if Israel would take over the entire coastal territory, Netanyahu told Fox News Channel’s Bill Hemmer in an interview Thursday that “we intend.”
However, he said that Israel wanted to hand over the territory to the Arab forces that govern it. He did not elaborate on governance arrangements or which Arab countries could be involved.
“We don’t want to maintain it. We want to have a security line. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as governing bodies,” he said.
Israeli officials described earlier meetings with the military head as tense this week, saying military chief Eir Zamir has pushed back against expanding Israeli campaigns.
Among the scenarios considered ahead of the security meeting was a gradual acquisition of the Gaza region, according to one government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The evacuation warning could be issued to Palestinians in certain areas of Gaza and could give them weeks before the military moves.
In a statement Friday, Netanyahu’s office said the majority of members of the political security cabinet believes “the alternative plan presented in the Cabinet will not achieve Hamas’ defeat or the revival of hostages.”
Two government sources said the resolution by the Security Cabinet must be approved by a full cabinet that may not be satisfied until Sunday.
“A blatant coup”
Full control of the territory reverses Israel’s 2005 decision, thereby retracting Israeli citizens and soldiers from Gaza, suppressing its boundaries, airspace and utilities.
Right-wing parties have condemned Hamas’ decision to withdraw from the militant Palestinian group that has gained power there in the 2006 election.
It was unclear whether Netanyahu had foreseen a long-term acquisition and short-term manipulation. Israel has repeatedly stated that it aims to dismantle Hamas and free Israeli hostages.
Hamas said in a statement called Netanyahu’s comment, “a blatant coup.”
“Netanyahu’s plan to expand aggression will confirm without question that he is trying to remove prisoners and sacrifice them,” the statement said.
Arab countries “will only support and decide that the Palestinians agree and decide,” a Jordanian source told Reuters, adding that Gaza security should be handled through “legal Palestinian institutions.”
Hamas’ Osama Hamdan’s formula told Al Jazeera that the group will treat any forces formed to govern Gaza as Israel-related “occupying” forces.
Earlier this year, Israel and the United States had envisaged the creation of an independent, professional Palestinian technocrat administrative committee, which rejected Egypt’s proposals backed by Arab leaders and was entrusted with governance in postwar Gaza.
Opinion polls show that most Israelis want to end the war with a deal to see the release of the remaining hostages.
The White House did not immediately have any comments. President Donald Trump refused to say whether he supported or opposed the possibility of Israel’s full military takeover of Gaza.
Netanyahu’s government claimed a complete victory over Hamas. Hamas ignited the war when he launched a fatal attack on Israel from Gaza.
The UN has called for reports that if true, we are “deeply vigilant” about the possibility of Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The idea, especially promoted by the far-right minister of Netanyahu’s coalition, is being created in Israel by the Israeli army, moving into Israeli military areas.
The remaining hostages
There are still 50 hostages held in Gaza, of which 20 Israeli officials believe they are alive. Most of the people who have been liberated so far have emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. We were able to see a ceasefire where July could have seen more hostages collapse.
A Palestinian official told Arab intermediaries that Hamas told Arab intermediaries that increased humanitarian aid entering Gaza would lead to the resumption of ceasefire negotiations.
Israeli officials accused the accusations denied by extremist groups, and Israeli officials accused Hamas of handing over to fighter jets and seizing aid to sell them to fund their activities.
A video released last week by two living hostages showed that they were weak and frail, and sparked international condemnation.
Recent images of the hungry children of Gaza also shocked the world, promoting international criticism of Israel over the rapidly deteriorating circumstances of the enclave.
Hamas has ruled Gaza for nearly 20 years, but now controls only fragmented parts, claiming that any deal must lead to a permanent end to the war. Israel says the group is not going to experience the promise of giving up on power afterwards.
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell of Jerusalem and Nidal Al Mugravi of Cairo. Stephen Shea of Jerusalem, Suleiman Al Kalidi of Amman, Doina Chias and Kanishka Singh of Washington, Editors of Cairo coaTes and editors of Cairo coaTes and cairo coaTes and cairo.
