Israel claims it is ready to assume full control of Gaza.
A statement from Netanyahu's office confirms that the army will follow orders, even in the face of warnings about the risk to the lives of hostages.
247 - The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday (5) that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are “prepared to implement any decision taken by the Security Cabinet” regarding the Gaza Strip — including a possible full reoccupation of the Palestinian territory. The statement was released after a three-hour meeting between the Israeli prime minister and military leaders.
The official position emerges amidst internal pressure for a new military escalation. The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, said that the Chief of Staff, General Eyal Zamir, “will have to comply with any cabinet decision,” even though he opposes the reoccupation of the region—according to press reports, Zamir warned of the risk of death for Israeli civilians still held hostage by Hamas. Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, stated that he intends to ensure the army's obedience “on all fronts.”
Report published on Monday by The Jerusalem PostAccording to a government source, Netanyahu has decided to take control of the entire Gaza Strip, including the areas where hostages are being held. The Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that this move is a response to Hamas's position, which conditions the release of the hostages on the complete surrender of the Israeli government.
Blocked aid and worsening hunger.
Despite allowing the partial return of humanitarian aid to Gaza at the end of July, the Israeli government continues to severely restrict access to the territory. The distribution of supplies—controlled by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an entity backed by Washington—is concentrated in the south of the enclave, under military monitoring. Reports of Israeli troops firing on Palestinians waiting in lines for food have become frequent.
On July 23, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned of the escalating food crisis. According to him, "acute malnutrition affects more than 10% of the population, and more than 20% of pregnant and lactating women tested suffer from severe forms of malnutrition." Tedros blamed the interruption of aid deliveries and access restrictions imposed by Israel for the worsening situation.
(With information from Sputnik)
