Netanyahu's Gaza Aid Plan Divides Israeli Coalition

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized his military's plan to pause fighting in Gaza to facilitate aid delivery, highlighting political tensions within his coalition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to criticize his military's plan to pause fighting in Gaza to facilitate aid delivery has highlighted political tensions within his coalition government.

Netanyahu's reaction underscores the heightened political debate over aid being delivered into Gaza, where international groups have warned of a growing humanitarian crisis.

Netanyahu's Gaza Aid Plan Divides Israeli Coalition

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir denounced the idea of a tactical pause, calling the decision-maker a "fool" who should lose their job.

This dispute is the latest in a series of disagreements between Netanyahu's coalition and the military over the conduct of the war with Hamas.

Netanyahu's Gaza Aid Plan Divides Israeli Coalition

Last Sunday, Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz resigned from Netanyahu's emergency government, citing the prime minister's pursuit of "total victory" as an impediment to the return of hostages seized by Hamas.

In his resignation announcement, Gantz emphasized the government's need to prioritize hostage retrieval over political survival.

Netanyahu's Gaza Aid Plan Divides Israeli Coalition

He criticized Netanyahu and his allies for turning unity into an empty promise and failing to make decisive strategic decisions due to political considerations.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid hailed Gantz's decision, calling for a change in government to restore security, secure hostage releases, and enhance Israel's economic and international standing.

The Israeli military announced daily pauses in battle from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time between Kerem Shalom Crossing and Salah al-Din Road, then northwards.

The pauses are intended to facilitate the delivery of aid into Gaza, where basic necessities are running low amidst the ongoing conflict.

The Israeli official's comments underscore Netanyahu's dissatisfaction with the military's plan, which he deems unacceptable.

The military clarified that while fighting would pause in the defined area, normal operations would continue in Rafah, the main focus of its campaign in southern Gaza.

The dispute over the aid pause reflects the broader political divide within Israel over the handling of the Gaza conflict and its humanitarian consequences.