Parts of the Israeli government have reacted with displeasure to the military’s announcement that it would hold daily tactical pauses for aid deliveries in the southern Gaza Strip. “When the prime minister heard the reports of an 11-hour humanitarian pause in the morning, he turned to his military secretary and made it clear to him that this was unacceptable to him,” a government official said about Benjamin Netanyahu.
The far-right minister responsible for national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, also spoke out against tactical pauses. Whoever decided this was a “fool” and should lose his job, he said.
Military wants to continue fighting in Rafah
The military made it clear that the main operation in Rafah would continue unabated. According to the announcement, the break is intended to enable more deliveries of aid to the coastal strip. Until further notice, there will be no military activities daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on a stretch from the Kerem Shalom border crossing to Salah Al-Din Street and further north, the army announced. International aid organizations had long warned that the already poor supply situation for the people in the southern Gaza Strip further escalating.
Differences have repeatedly become apparent between members of the government and the military in the war that has now lasted for more than eight months. About a week ago, former general Benny Gantz left the government and accused Netanyahu of not having an effective strategy. Israel A debate about the conscription of ultra-Orthodox people took place. While large parts of the population demanded an end to the corresponding exceptional rules, the deeply religious parties in the governing coalition rejected this.