Israel Eases Gaza Blockade After Allied Pressure Over Humanitarian Crisis
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his government would allow limited humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip following weeks of near-total blockade, acknowledging that key international allies had warned they could not continue to back Israel’s war effort if images of widespread hunger persisted, as per The AP.
Israel has faced mounting criticism from the United Nations, relief agencies, and several European governments for restricting deliveries of food, fuel, and medicine to Gaza’s roughly 2 million residents. Aid organizations have warned of an imminent famine.
On Sunday, Israeli officials announced they would permit what they called a “basic” flow of supplies to avert a “hunger crisis.” The reversal comes as Israel intensifies its air-and-ground offensive across Gaza, designed, officials say, to pressure Hamas into accepting a cease-fire on Israeli terms.
Early Monday, the Israeli military ordered residents to leave Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city, where a previous Israeli campaign left large swaths in ruins. The new operation aims to displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians while securing corridors for aid distribution, according to military spokespeople.
Netanyahu said the broader plan ultimately envisions Israeli forces “taking control of all of Gaza.”
In a video message posted to social media, Netanyahu said unnamed “greatest friends in the world” had expressed concern over “images of mass hunger” and warned that public support for Israel could erode if conditions did not improve.
The United States, Israel’s principal ally, has largely avoided public censure of Israel’s military tactics. However, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have recently highlighted civilians’ plight, with Rubio calling the situation “troubling” during a visit to Turkey.
Netanyahu suggested the humanitarian reprieve was essential to preserve international backing.
“To achieve victory,” he said, “we need to somehow solve the problem.”
The decision has angered members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition. Two far-right partners had urged that aid remain blocked; one said Monday he would reluctantly accept the limited deliveries.
Aid agencies welcomed the move but cautioned that current allowances fall far short of Gaza’s needs. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued operations in northern and central Gaza, and Hamas officials gave no indication they were closer to accepting Israel’s cease-fire terms.
