The Israeli war cabinet announced Friday that a delegation would travel to Qatar to discuss a possible truce with Hamas but, at the same time, Benjamin Netanyahu also approved a military operation in Rafah.
Despite pressure from the international community, Israel remains the course in its determination to eradicate Hamas in Gaza. On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved thee plan for a military operation in Rafah, which also includes efforts to evacuate civilian refugees who have invaded the city.
No details have been communicated either on the evacuation plan, nor on the military operation and even the American authorities were not informedaccording to the spokesperson for the National Security Council.
Meanwhile, the Israeli war cabinet indicated on Friday that Israel would also send a new delegation in Qatar to discuss a truce based on proposals presented Thursday by Hamas.
According to international agencies, this truce would provide for the exchange of prisoners (women and children for a thousand Palestinian prisoners). The second stage of this plan would consist of a ceasefire accompanied by an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, after which an “all for all” exchange could be discussed.
But Benjamin Netanyahu has already described this new proposal as “unrealistic”.
Dozens of family members and supporters of the Israeli hostages marched again in Tel Aviv on Friday, expressing optimism about the proposal and urging authorities to seize the opportunity for a truce.
Meanwhile, the IDF strongly denies accusations of another shooting attack against civilians demanding food aid in central Gaza. According to Palestinian sources, on Thursday, Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd south of Gaza City, killing more than 20 people and injuring more than 150.
The IDF released aerial footage on Friday purportedly showing that it was a Palestinian gunman who opened fire in the middle of the crowd and many people were allegedly run over by trucks.
It is in this context of great tension that the humanitarian ship “Open Arms”, flying the Spanish flag, has finally started to unload its cargo, sent by the NGO “World Central Kitchen”. The Israeli army said the ship “contained 130 pallets of humanitarian materials, 115 tons of food and water, which were transferred to 12 trucks to be distributed to the northern Gaza Strip.”
The first convoy was announced as a pilot test of the new aid route sponsored among others by the European Commission, but it is not yet clear whether this first transfer is considered a success and what will become of it .