Israel Allows Limited Aid into Gaza Amid International Pressure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the country would allow a “basic amount” of food into Gaza, ending an 11-week blockade. This decision comes after increased pressure from US senators and international leaders, including the UK’s Sir Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Canada’s Justin Trudeau’s successor, who deemed the previous response “wholly inadequate”.

Key Quotes:

• Benjamin Netanyahu: “We must not reach a situation of famine, both from a practical and a diplomatic standpoint.”
• Netanyahu: “Since the beginning of the war, we said that in order to achieve victory – to defeat Hamas and to free all our hostages, two missions that are intertwined – there is one necessary condition: We must not reach a situation of famine…”
• Netanyahu: “We are going to take control of all areas of the Strip, that’s what we’re going to do.”
• Tom Fletcher (UN Humanitarian Chief): “But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed, and significantly more aid must be allowed into Gaza, starting tomorrow morning.”
• José Andrés (World Central Kitchen): “This plan will leave Palestinians hungry. The new humanitarian foundation members should be ashamed of themselves… We already have a system in place to feed all Palestinians with the help of Palestinians.”

International Response:

The UN has welcomed the move but emphasized that it is insufficient to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.1 million population. The organization has a “clear, principled and practical plan to save lives at scale” and reduce looting, but Israel’s plan to distribute aid through hubs in southern Gaza has raised concerns about impartiality and safety.

Humanitarian Situation:

The blockade has led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, with 115 of 180 community kitchens shut down due to lack of supplies. At least 53,475 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began, including 3,340 since the Israeli offensive resumed. The situation on the ground remains dire, with reports of children dying from malnutrition and families struggling to access basic necessities.