Israel will not stop the food, water, and medication from Egypt from reaching civilians in the southern Gaza Strip as long as it does not reach Hamas.
Israel National News Oct 18, 2023, 6:01 PM
The Prime Minister’s Office summed up the joint cabinet meeting with US President Joe Biden and said that three decisions were made in light of the overwhelming US support and the vitality of the war effort and in light of Biden’s demand for basic humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The central decision is that “Israel will not allow any humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as long as the hostages are not returned.”
In addition, the message stated that: “Israel demands that the Red Cross visit the hostages and is working to enlist international support for this demand.”
The Prime Minister’s Office added: “In light of Biden’s demands, Israel will not stop the provision of humanitarian aid from Egypt as long as it is only food, water, and medications for the civilian population that are in the southern Gaza Strip or are evacuating there, and as long as those supplies don’t reach Hamas. Any supplies that reach Hamas will be stopped.”
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Putting hostages first teaches the terrorists to do more of the same because it works.
They get rewarded handsomely for what they did – they avoid punishment, they get to feel righteous and important, and, chances are, they will again get thousands of their prisoners released in exchange for 100 or so of maimed or dead hostages.
AND they get food, water, and, I am sure, more weapons (disguised as humanitarian aid) from their supporters.
Translation:
1) Biden told us not to interfere with “humanitarian aid” to Gaza,
and we must follow his orders, including begging Hamas to
release the hostages (we will pay any price, as usual, and be
thoroughly humiliated – after all, this is what Jews are
supposed to be best at);
2) We are making all the right noises to reassure our public who
we think is VERY, VERY STUPID that we will control (which is
absolutely impossible):
a) what kind of stuff gets into Gaza;
b) who will receive and get to control and distribute all that
stuff that will now be sent into Gaza (especially from Egypt).
So this was the compromise verbiage between War Cabinet and Blinken. If aid gets into Gaza clearly Hamas while in power will control it. So in my mind nothing gets into Gaza without the release of the hostages. Since this wording is ambiguous in practice, what does it really mean in practice will Israel allow in relief supplies or not?