Before Wednesday’s meeting of Israel’s Security Cabinet, US officials representing President Joe Biden made it clear that Jerusalem must increase humanitarian aid and fuel to Gaza if it wanted Washington to continue vetoing any attempt to advance a decision in the Security Council on ending the war against Hamas.
The American conditions for continued support in the Security Council for the fighting in Gaza were presented to ministers, who initially expressed opposition to the continued supply of fuel, because part of it normally gets diverted to Hamas.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informed Israel of the activation of Article 99 of the UN Charter, according to which “the secretary-general may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”
In light of the activation of the article, the Security Council will convene for a special session on Friday. In addition, the secretary-general tweeted that “there is a serious threat to the humanitarian system in Gaza, and I call on the Security Council to intervene to prevent a catastrophe and to call for a humanitarian ceasefire.”
Israeli diplomatic sources warned: “Halting the ground maneuver at this stage would be a disaster. There is currently no ceasefire deal on the table, and the entire Cabinet’s priority is to continue the ground operation in the Strip, even if it means meeting American demands for the supply of fuel and assistance.”
Families of hostages blast increased gas deliveries to Gaza
Israel’s governing coalition was divided by the Security Cabinet decision on fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip, with critics and families of the hostages saying it sets back the war against Hamas.
The Security Cabinet decision, under US pressure, will see fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip increased to 120,000 liters (31,700 gallons) daily.
“The minimum fuel distribution will be determined from time to time by the War Cabinet according to the health conditions and the humanitarian situation in the Strip,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The move was opposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Defense Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leaders of the National Religious and Otzma Yehudit parties, respectively.
The Tikva Forum, representing families of abductees, voiced its opposition: “This fuel may become instrumental in killing our soldiers, and moreover, take us another step away from rescuing and releasing the kidnapped,” the forum said in a statement.
“Every liter of fuel takes us away from defeating Hamas,” said a spokesman for Ben-Gvir. “They hold our hostages, and our soldiers fall there every day, and the transfer of fuel is a direct continuation of that concept.”
With the IDF operating in southern Gaza, the forum asserted: “It is a great shame that due to American political pressure, we are backing away from the decisions that the same cabinet made only a few days ago. In order to return the captives, Hamas must be pressured more by the tightening of the siege.”
At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. Hamas currently holds 137 men, women, children, soldiers and foreigners captive in Gaza. Some people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.
Again, those who have never suffered at the hand of Hamas or their ilk believe they have all the right answers to the problems they have never had to deal with. Those who don’t know the pain on a personal level, will never have the answer to the problems.