Netanyahu says Israel to take over ‘all of Gaza,� admits pressure for aid entry
Israel 'is going to take over all of Gaza, that's what we are going to do,' Netanyahu says
JERUSALEM / ANKARA
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his army will take over “all of Gaza,” admitting that mounting pressure has forced Israel to resume humanitarian aid into the blockaded Palestinian territory.
Israel “is going to take over all of Gaza, that’s what we are going to do,” Netanyahu said in a video message on his X account.
Netanyahu admitted that pressure on Israel was “approaching a red line,” forcing Israel to resume aid deliveries to Gaza.
Israel has kept all crossings into Gaza closed to food, medical, and humanitarian aid since March 2, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to government, human rights, and international reports.
Nearly 2.4 million people in the enclave live completely dependent on humanitarian aid, according to World Bank data.
According to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), hundreds of thousands of Palestinians eat only one meal every two or three days amid Israel’s crippling blockade.
On Sunday, Netanyahu said that Israel will permit the entry of “a basic quantity of food” for Gaza’s 2.4 million population "to prevent the emergence of a hunger crisis."
According to Israel’s Army Radio, Israel will allow nine aid trucks into Gaza after nearly 80 days of a crippling siege on the war-devastated territory.
“In order to complete our victory, to defeat Hamas and free the hostages, we cannot reach a point of famine,” Netanyahu said. “They won’t support us.”
The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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