Tel Aviv, Israel – The Israeli security cabinet has reportedly approved a new plan for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which will involve private US security contractors overseeing the distribution. This decision comes amidst reports that the cabinet has also approved plans to expand military operations in the Palestinian territory and to maintain a presence there for an unspecified period.
According to Israeli and US media outlets, the aid delivery plan, approved on Sunday night, aims to keep Israeli military personnel away from the direct distribution of aid boxes to individuals in Gaza. The arrangement proposes an outer layer of security provided by private US contractors and international organizations to manage the handover of aid.
While details regarding the specific restrictions on aid distribution were not immediately clear from the reports, the approval of this new delivery mechanism suggests a shift in how aid is being managed and potentially distributed within Gaza. The plan was reportedly approved by all cabinet members except the hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The backdrop to this development is the reported approval by the Israeli cabinet of a plan to expand the military offensive in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli officials, this plan, which received unanimous approval from the security cabinet, is intended to further Israel’s war aims of defeating Hamas and securing the release of hostages held in Gaza.
Part of this broader military plan allegedly involves the potential movement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the southern part of Gaza. If implemented, this could lead to the forcible displacement of a significant portion of the population and further exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis within the territory. However, reports also suggest that the implementation of this expanded military operation might be delayed until after an expected visit to the Middle East by US President Donald Trump later this month, raising the possibility of a ceasefire agreement in the interim.
The United Nations has reportedly voiced strong objections to the proposed aid distribution plan. According to a memo circulated among aid organizations and seen by the Associated Press, Israel informed the UN that private security companies would be used to control aid distribution in Gaza. In a statement issued on Sunday, the UN indicated that it would not participate in the plan as presented, asserting that it violates the organization’s core humanitarian principles. The specifics of these violations were not detailed in the initial reports.
This decision by the Israeli cabinet follows a period of intense conflict since Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas in mid-March. Since then, Israel has conducted extensive strikes throughout Gaza and has reportedly gained control over approximately 50% of the territory. Prior to the breakdown of the truce, Israel had halted all humanitarian aid shipments into Gaza.
The implications of both the expanded military operations and the new aid distribution plan are significant for the already vulnerable population of Gaza. Concerns are likely to mount regarding the potential for increased displacement and the effectiveness and impartiality of aid delivery managed by private security contractors, particularly given the UN’s stated objections. The international community will be closely watching the implementation of these plans and their impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The lack of a clear timeline for the implementation of either the military expansion or the new aid delivery system leaves many questions unanswered about the immediate future of the conflict and the provision of essential assistance to the people of Gaza.
