Allows Israel enough emergency aid, and what does the new Israeli offensive involve?

The Israeli government announced a new ground offensive this weekend. At the same time, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that after 78 days full blockade, who had brought hundreds of thousands of Palestinians on the edge of starving, she will once again allow emergency aid to Gaza.

Nine questions about Gaza.

1 What exactly does the new offensive involve?

On Sunday, Israel started a new ground offensive. Introducing soldiers in Gaza was accompanied by severe bombing. The four days before, Israel also bombed firmly. With 670 bombs in five days, it was the heavily Bombing since the early days of the battle, in October 2023. On average, Israel killed more than a hundred people a day. On Monday, according to the Gazan Ministry of Health, 136 people were killed at Israeli bombing.

Israel describes the offensive as a « broad land surgery in the north and south of the Gaza Strip ». The new invasion is part of the « Gideons chariots » operation. According to Israeli Minister Israel Katz (Defense), one of the attacks Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar was killed. Earlier, Israel already executed his brother and predecessor Yahya Sinwar, who was seen as one of the spiritual fathers of the large -scale attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

On Monday afternoon, Israel ordered the population of Khan Younis to evacuate. The Israeli army, in its own words, prepared a « not previously displayed » to eliminate « terror groups » in that area. It is the first time since April last year that Israel is carrying out land surgery in Khan Younis.

2 What is the purpose of the new offensive?

Netanyahu emphasized on Monday that Israel « will take over the whole of Gaza. » It is still unclear what that would mean for the more than two million inhabitants of Gaza. The Financial Times that writes The entire population is driven to an area near the Egyptian border that a tenth of the territory of the Gaza Strip covers. According to critics, this can be the pre -stage of permanent expulsion of all residents of the Gaza Strip to other countries.

3 But there are also negotiations between Israel and Hamas?

True, there are conversations in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Netanyahu describes the offensive as a new tactic of ‘under fire’ negotiations. The operation must put pressure on Hamas to release Israeli hostages without a permanent ceasefire. Hamas does not do that, then Israel will no longer leave the Gaza Strip, says Netanyahu.

4 What is the Israeli commitment to those negotiations?

According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israel wants Hamas to release all hostages, that « Hamas terrorists » leave Gaza and that the Gaza Strip is demilitarized.

Two months ago, Israel decided to break the ceasefire at the time. At the time, an agreement was concluded that would have led to the release of the hostages if Israel had continued the negotiations. The new Israeli negotiating deployment is less favorable for Hamas. That is why the militant group does not seem willing to meet the Israeli requirements.

5 What if those negotiations fail?

The Sunday Times based on information from diplomats, reports a Israeli plan called ‘Phase three: Full occupation of Gaza’. According to the diplomats, this plan enters into force when the negotiations are running.

In this plan, the Gaza Strip would be divided from north to south into seven zones: four zones that are controlled by the Israeli army with three zones in between where the Gazans can stay. Movement between those three zones will only be possible with Israel’s permission. Moreover, all goods that are moved by Israel would be inspected. The army has neither confirmed the plan or denied.

6 And Israel is all of emergency aid again?

Yes. The Netanyahu cabinet has said that it will allow a ‘basic amount of food’ to prevent a ‘hunger crisis’. Such a crisis, the government, would endanger the continuation of the military operation against Hamas.

A week ago the IPCan international monitor of food security, which already have 1.94 million Gazans – almost the entire population – to do with acute food insecurity. 244,000 inhabitants would even be in the « catastrophic » phase of famine.

According to Netanyahu, allowing small bits of food should be seen as a temporary step, until Israel has set up his food distribution centers. This fits within an previously presented Israeli emergency aid plan with which the existing aid organizations, including the United Nations, passes.

That plan should take effect in a week. The UN is called in in the temporary plan. On Monday, the UN announced that twenty trucks with emergency aid will be admitted to the Gaza Strip. Along the border with Gaza, thousands of trucks with emergency aid are waiting.

If those distribution centers are operational, the UN would be sidelined again. The plan is that screened people can go to the distribution centers to pick up food packages. According to experts, this is contrary to all international agreements about the impartial distribution of emergency aid.

7 Does the Israeli plan offer enough help?

Immediately after announcing the plan, the criticism started. The French minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated on X that help « immediately, massive and unhindered » should be admitted to Gaza. « The catastrophic humanitarian situation must come to an end and the famine must be finally terminated, » said Barrot. Aid organizations also find the plan insufficient. For example, Care Nederland speaks of « a plaster against bleeding. »

Director Suzanne Laszlo of VN children’s rights organization Unicef ​​calls the plans « not near enough ». She points to the acute malnutrition. « You don’t solve that with a sandwich with cheese and a glass of milk. This requires specialized therapeutic diet – and medical guidance. Malnutrition is a serious medical arrest in which the body breaks down its own muscle mass to survive. That is why only food is absolutely insufficient. »

Director Karel Hendriks of Doctors Without Borders calls the plan « completely insufficient ». Food aid alone, says Hendriks, is not enough to help a « vulnerable, weakened and starving » population. « Certainly not in the minimum quantities that are allowed so far. The population should not be kept on the brink of famine. »

Our best friends in the world have warned that they cannot support us if images of massive famine pop up

8 Why does Israel decide to admit emergency aid now?

According to the cabinet, that decision was initially taken on the advice of the Israeli army, because of the « operational need to make the expansion of the fighting against Hamas possible ».

But on the basis of statements and reactions from Israeli politicians, it seems that the decision was mainly inspired by worrying about decreasing international support for the expansion of the offensive in Gaza and further occupation of the area.

For example, Netanyahu said that the decision comes from international pressure, and the need for international support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. « Our best friends in the world – senators I know as avid supporters of Israel – have warned that they cannot support us if images of massive famine appear, » he said. « We must avoid famine, both for practical and diplomatic reasons. Without international support we cannot complete the victory mission. »

Bezalel Smotrich, the extreme right-wing Minister of Finance, who threatened to leave the cabinet if humanitarian aid were admitted to Gaza, now says that the admission of small quantities of assistance. In a television speech, he said that allowing ‘minimum quantities’ help’ citizens will enable citizens to eat, for our friends in the world to continue to provide us with an international umbrella of protection against the Security Council and judges in The Hague, and for us to continue to fight, if God wants it, to the victory. ”

From right -wing opposition parties, there was criticism of the decision because, according to them, the help falls into the hands of Hamas. In recent months, Netanyahu has always performed as a reason for the blockade of relief supplies.

In recent days, more and more Western countries have criticized the new Israeli offensive, including loyal allies such as Germany and Italy. The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Saturday that it was ‘seriously delivered’ about the new offensive in a statement. Italian minister Antonio Tajani (Foreign Affairs) asked the Israeli government to stop the offensive in Gaza immediately. « We no longer want to see the Palestinian population suffering. »

9 How is there reacting in Israeli society?

Among families of (former) hostages in Gaza, harsh criticism sounds to the decision to further expand the ground offensive. According to them, the lives of the hostages are put at stake. On Monday, former hostage Arbel Yahoud addressed the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. « The blood of the hostages and the soldiers will stick to your hands if you don’t stop this war, » said Yahoud.

Recent polls show that a majority of the Israeli population for a (renewed) agreement with Hamas to get the hostages free. Last weekend there were again demonstrations in Tel Aviv where it was called for.

During demonstrations in Israel it is mainly about the hostages and Israeli soldiers in Gaza, and anti-government sentiments. To a very limited extent, it is explicitly demonstrated against the attacks on the Palestinian population and the humanitarian situation.

Last Sunday, a few hundred Israelis demonstrated at the border with Gaza against the continuous air strikes and the blockade of relief supplies, shown images of Palestinian victims. The police intervened harshly.

Various right -wing groups and politicians criticized the Cabinet Decree on Monday to allow help in Gaza. According to them, it falls into the hands of Hamas. The Tikva Forum, an ultra-right pro-government group that represents different families of hostages and is against an agreement with Hamas, expressed his support for the ground offensive in a statement.

Forum member Boaz Miran, brother of the Omri Miran held in Gaza, said that Netanyahu’s ‘surrender’, referring to the decision to allow help – will lead to « soldiers being killed and the release of the hostages is delayed. »

With the cooperation of Lucia Admiraal.

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