Katz: Humanitarian aid block is Israel’s ‘main tool’ in Gaza

All border passages to Gaza remained closed while worsens a serious humanitarian crisis

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tel Aviv will not allow any humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that help prevention is a “main tool” used to press Hamas.

“As I mentioned in my statement, Israel’s policy is clear and no humanitarian help is about to enter Gaza,” he said, adding that help prevention is “one of the main tools” Israel is using to press Hamas, “beyond the other measures Israel is taking.”

“It is a pity that there is anyone who tries to deceive. In the present reality, no one will bring humanitarian help to Gaza, and no one is preparing to bring such help. I emphasized that, in relation to the future, a mechanism for the use of civil companies must be built, so as not to allow Hamas to have access [à ajuda] In the future, ”continued the Minister of Defense.

Katz had announced in a previous statement on Wednesday that Israel would eventually resume deliveries to Gaza, but only through “civil companies.”

Katz’s statement emphasized “first of all, making every effort to get the release of all hostages within the structure of the [enviado dos EUA Steve] Witkoff and build a bridge for Hamas’s defeat in the future. ”

He emphasized “interrupting humanitarian aid, which undermines Hamas control over the population, and creating an infrastructure for distribution [de ajuda] through civil companies in the future ”.

“So far, hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated and dozens percent of the territory has been added to security zones,” referring to the recent territory in Gaza. “The pressure on Hamas to execute the agreement is heavy and the tension between it and the local population is increasing,” he continued.

He added that Egypt for the first time established “Hamas’s disarmament and Gaza’s demilitarization” as a condition “for a comprehensive agreement and the end of the war.”

Katz faced significant criticism of members of the coalition and families of Israeli prisoners kept in the track.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he will do everything in his power to prevent the “historical error” from allowing help in Gaza.

“It is a pity that we do not learn from our mistakes. As long as our hostages are dying in tunnels, there is no reason for a gram of food or helping in Gaza,” he said.

The missing hostage and families forum called Katz’s statements “fantasy”, specifically criticizing the government’s insistence on prioritizing territory taking over Gaza to the detriment of hostage lives.

“It’s time to end the false promises and slogans. It’s impossible to continue war and at the same time free all hostages,” the forum said.

All border passages to Gaza remained closed, with the help flow to the interrupted strip. Hospitals in Gaza are on the brink of total collapse due to lack of desperately necessary medical supplies, making it almost impossible to treat the dozens of injured Palestinians who reach the medical centers daily.

Since the recent resumption and expansion of land operations in Gaza, Israel has taken control of at least 50% of the territory of the track. Katz announced on Saturday the capture by the Israeli army of the newly created Morag corridor, which isolates the city of Rafah in the far south of Khan Yunis.

Katz also said that the army will soon “vigorously” its offensive in Gaza.

More than 1,630 Palestinians were killed and more than 4,300 injured by Israel throughout the Gaza range since the war in Gaza resumed on March 18.

Meanwhile, the US has approved a new loading of thousands of bombs to the Israeli Air Force.

Originally published by The Cradle on 16/04/2025