IDF to allow foreign countries to drop aid in Gaza Strip
The IDF announced that it will allow foreign countries to drop aid into the Gaza Strip starting on Friday, Army Radio reported, citing a senior military source.
"When the UN wants to, it can. After criticism earlier this week, it suddenly transferred hundreds of trucks, despite claiming it was unable to do so until then," the source told Army Radio.
"According to all IDF estimates, there has been no change in the amount of food entering the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, and Hamas's hunger campaign in Gaza is timed."
Adding to these reports, Israel has approached the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, requesting that they immediately reinstate the airdrops in the area, as was done in earlier stages of the campaign. The government hopes that the Jordanians will lead the first airdrops, according to Israeli media.
Hamas is using hunger in Gaza as a negotiation strategy
The IDF acknowledged on Friday that while there is no starvation in Gaza, food security is at a dangerous, sensitive point and that it is working hard to keep food security balanced.
The military noted that there were sensitive periods for food security during the 21-month war. However, when each period of food insecurity arose in Gaza, the IDF worked hard with humanitarian organizations and NGOs to address the issue.
At this time, the IDF is attempting to persuade the UN and other aid organizations to dispatch approximately 900 aid trucks to distribution points. It should be noted that the aid trucks are on the Gaza side of the border and have been approved by the IDF.
The military argued that the reason there is a current hunger crisis in Gaza is not because food security is worse now than at any other point during the war, but because Hamas is highlighting the issue now during ceasefire negotiations.
During the talks, Hamas has been trying to eliminate the GHF in Gaza because the organization presents a major challenge to its political control of food in the enclave.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Corinne Baum contributed to this report.
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