ISRAEL, Aug 5: Former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs have called for an end to the war in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at further military action and Israel’s government plotted its next move in the devastated territory. Health officials reported new deaths on Tuesday of Palestinians seeking food at distribution points, and the Israeli defense body coordinating aid to Gaza announced a new deal with local merchants to improve aid deliveries as desperation mounts. The former security officials speaking out included those who led Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service, Mossad spy agency, and the Israeli military. In a roughly three-minute video posted to social media this week, they demanded an end to the war and said the far-right members of the government are holding the country “hostage” in prolonging the conflict.
Netanyahu announced Monday that he would convene his Security Cabinet in the coming days to direct the army on the next stage of the war, hinting that even tougher military action was an option in Gaza. He remained committed to achieving his war objectives, including defeating Hamas, releasing all hostages, and ensuring Gaza never again threatens Israel. Israeli media said the meeting was expected Tuesday, with disagreements between Netanyahu and the army chief, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, on how to proceed.
Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading toward food distribution sites, airdropped parcels, and aid convoys in the Gaza Strip, according to witnesses, local health officials, and the United Nations human rights office. The Israeli military says it only has fired warning shots and disputes the toll.
The Israeli defense body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, called COGAT, wrote on social platform X that there will be a “gradual and controlled renewal of the entry of goods through the private sector in Gaza.” A limited number of local merchants were approved for the plan and will sell basic food products, baby food, fruits and vegetables, and hygiene supplies through bank transfers.
On Tuesday morning, Israeli forces opened fire toward Palestinians seeking desperately needed aid and in targeted attacks in the central and southern Gaza Strip, killing at least 25 people. The dead include 19 people who were killed in southern Gaza, 12 of them seeking aid near the Morag corridor and in Teina area, some 3 kilometers from the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation hub east of Khan Younis. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians and operates under the Hamas government.
Israel’s blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory’s slide toward famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas. Aid groups say Israel’s week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas. As international alarm has mounted, several countries have airdropped aid over Gaza, but the UN and aid groups call such drops costly and dangerous for residents, and say they deliver far less aid than trucks. (AP)
