In practice, Israel has not allowed, for example, the export of food or medical supplies to Gaza since it began its extensive military operations in the region.
Israel has announced that it will allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza temporarily through the Erez border crossing. In addition, Israel has said that it will also open the port of Ashdod for humanitarian aid and that it will allow more aid from Jordan.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu according to the chancellery’s press release, the purpose of allowing aid to Gaza is to prevent a humanitarian crisis and enable the fighting to continue and the state’s war goals to be achieved.
According to the World Health Organization, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has been catastrophic for a long time, and the threat of famine is imminent in northern Gaza.
In practice, Israel has not allowed, for example, the export of food or medical supplies to Gaza since it began its extensive military operations in the region.
According to the aid organization Oxfam, those living in the northern part of Gaza have endured on about 245 calories a day since January. The number of calories is equivalent to less than a can of beans.
President of the United States Joe Biden significantly toughened the US stance on Israel on Thursday, telling Netanyahu that continued US support depends on how well Israel manages to protect civilians and aid workers in Gaza.
Relations between the two countries cooled significantly after the Israeli army’s attack on the convoy of the World Central Kitchen aid organization on Monday killed seven aid workers.
After Israel’s decision, the White House demanded that the routes be opened quickly and in full.
Health care in ruins
A large part of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble by Israeli strikes. The country’s hospital system has collapsed, and more than 2.4 million Palestinians lack food, water, fuel and other basic supplies.
Aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has accused Israel of systematically destroying Gaza’s health care system.
A representative of MSF has said that the organization sees such serious injuries every day on such a large scale and in such conditions that no health care system in the world could cope with them.
The continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the deaths of aid workers in an Israeli strike have increased international pressure.
At home, Netanyahu is also being pressured by the families of the hostages taken by Hamas, and in addition, the protest movement against the government has intensified.