The whole Gaza Strip will be under the control of the Israeli army at the end of its last offensive, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at his first press conference since December, organizing maximalist conditions to end the devastating war against the Palestinian enclave besieged.
Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in incessant Israeli bombings over Gaza in recent days, at least 82 since dawn on Wednesday, while famine settles down and that a small amount of aid trucks are authorized with the blockade in force.
Netanyahu also said on Wednesday that “there was an opportunity for a temporary ceasefire agreement and hostage exchanges, Israel will be open to it”.
The Israeli chief presented the following conditions to end the war: the release of all captives, the disarmament of Hamas, the exile of his management and the possibility of pursuing a plan described by American president Donald Trump in February who would expel the Palestinians from Gaza.
Trump said the United States should lead Gaza and transform the territory into “Middle East Riviera”. This is the first time that Trump’s plan has been mentioned by Netanyahu as one of the conditions to stop fighting. Several nations and rights defense groups have called the ethnic cleaning of the plan.
Netanyahu said that Israel should avoid a “humanitarian crisis to preserve our freedom of operational action”, referring to Israel’s decision to authorize a very limited number of humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza. He also referred to a highly criticized plan “developed with the United States” to distribute food in the enclave without Hamas taking control. The Palestinian group denies that it takes help.
Limited help entering Gaza, but no distribution
Israel has undergone international pressure to interrupt its total punitive blockage on Gaza, which had prevented food or aid trucks from entering the territory since March 2.
This exacerbated the already disastrous humanitarian disaster inside the enclave. An assessment of the classification of the integrated food security phase supported by the United Nations revealed that more than 93% of children in Gaza, or around 930,000, are on the brink of famine.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army said that it authorized 100 aid trucks carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment in Gaza. However, UN officials said the distribution problems had not meant that no help has so far had people in need.
“Limited supplies being finally allowed to enter Kerem Shalom (in Arabic, the border crossing of Karem Abu Salem) are far from sufficient to meet the needs to Gaza, which are vast, which are huge. Many, much more help to enter”.
The aid groups said that the amount of aid that Israel authorizes is not enough, calling Netanyahu’s efforts “the smoke screen to claim that the seat is finished”.
“The decision of the Israeli authorities to allow ridiculously inadequate aid to Gaza after months of waterproof siege signals their intention to avoid the hunger accusation of people in Gaza while keeping them barely surviving,” said Pascale Coissard, Khan Younis emergency coordinator for bordering doctors.
“ A man under pressure, obsessed and lying ”
Critics quickly reacted to Netanyahu’s press conference. His “words today signify the occupation of Gaza for many years and awakening each day to the death of the soldiers,” said opposition chief Yair Lapid, adding that the international position of the country would collapse and that the economy would be seriously damaged.
“I saw a presentation by a man under pressure, obsessed and mental who takes no responsibility,” said the leader of the Democratic Party, Yair Golan, after the press conference. “I’m going to continue for defamation because of the lies that you have spread over me, and we will soon defeat you in the elections and send you to the pages of history.”
Netanyahu criticized Golan Tuesday after the opposition chief said: “A healthy country … does not kill babies as a hobby.” Netanyahu called the “appalling” commentary.