Israel will allow a “basic amount” of food into the Gaza Strip, the prime minister’s office said Sunday, after facing mounting pressure to lift a total blockade imposed more than two months ago.
The announcement came hours after the military said it had begun “extensive ground operations” in its intensified campaign in Gaza, and as Israel and Hamas engaged in indirect talks on a deal to potentially halt the fighting.
Prime Minister’s office said that at the military’s recommendation, “Israel will authorise the entry of a basic amount of food for the population to ensure that a hunger crisis does not develop in the Gaza Strip”.
Such a crisis would jeopardise the army’s new operation, it said, adding Israel would “act to prevent Hamas from seizing this humanitarian aid”.
Israel claimed its blockade since March 2 was aimed at forcing concessions from the Palestinian militant group, but UN agencies have warned of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicines.
Last week US President Donald Trump, a critical ally, acknowledged that “a lot of people are starving”, adding “we’re going to get that taken care of”.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called on Israel following the latest announcement, to allow the “immediate, massive and unhampered” resumption of aid.
Israel’s military announced on Sunday that troops had “begun extensive ground operations throughout the northern and southern Gaza Strip” and were “currently being deployed in key positions”.
The ramped-up campaign, which Israel says aims to free hostages and defeat Hamas, started Saturday as the two sides entered indirect talks in Qatar on a deal.
Netanyahu’s office said negotiators in Doha were “working to exhaust every possibility for a deal — whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting”.
Steve Witkoff is the US Middle East envoy who has been involved in discussions.
Netanyahu’s statement said a deal “would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas fighters, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip”.
Since its violation of a two-month ceasefire in March Israel resumed its offensive, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to make a breakthrough.
Netanyahu has opposed ending the war without Hamas’s total defeat, while Hamas has refused handing over its weapons.
A Hamas source familiar with the negotiations said the group was willing “to release all Israeli hostages in one batch, provided that a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire agreement is reached”, but Israel “wants to release its prisoners in one batch or in two batches in exchange for a temporary truce”.
Speaking to troops in Gaza Sunday, Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said the military would “provide flexibility to the political echelon to advance any hostage deal”.
“A hostage deal is not a halt; it is an achievement. We are actively working toward it,” he said.
Gaza’s health ministry said Sunday at least 3,193 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,339.
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