Aid workers from QatarAid put together packages of vegetables for Gaza citizens in December, 2024 (Source: video snippet - @GazaDirectAid/X)
Aid workers assemble care packages in a Gaza displacement camp (video clip)

Dispute Over Aid To Gaza Causes Cabinet Tensions

Details
The Judean Staff
Politics

Tensions erupted during a high-stakes Israeli cabinet meeting as National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir demanded a total stop to humanitarian aid into Gaza and suggested bombing Hamas’s food supplies. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir shot back forcefully, warning the remarks were dangerous and in breach of international law. Prime Minister Netanyahu attempted to mediate, but the confrontation laid bare deep ideological divisions within the government over the balance between military goals and humanitarian obligations.

A stormy Israeli cabinet session last night laid bare the escalating ideological chasm between the military brass and hardline ministers over the future of humanitarian policy in Gaza. What began as a routine strategic discussion rapidly spiraled into a dramatic and fiery exchange between IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, igniting a full-blown showdown over the moral and legal responsibilities of wartime conduct.

According to Channel 12, Ben Gvir, who has become a symbol of Israel’s ultra-nationalist flank, provocatively declared, “There is no need to bring in aid [to Gaza]; they have enough. Hamas’s food stores should be bombed.” The statement reportedly triggered visible tension in the room and drew immediate condemnation from Lt. Gen. Zamir.

“These ideas endanger us,” Zamir shot back, according to sources present. He later elaborated, “You don’t understand what you are saying. You are endangering us all. There is international law and we are committed to it. We cannot starve the Strip—your statements are dangerous.”

The tension peaked when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stepped in, not to back Zamir, but to defend Ben Gvir’s right to express his opinion. “Excuse me,” Netanyahu interjected, “every minister here can state their position and disagree with officers.”

Zamir, unshaken, reportedly looked directly at Ben Gvir and fired back again: “We are obligated to international law. Your rhetoric doesn’t just damage our image—it threatens our soldiers and the moral foundation of our state.”

At that moment, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara weighed in to reinforce Zamir’s stance. “Israel is obligated to bring aid into the Strip under international law,” she said, directly confronting the legal implications of Ben Gvir’s proposal.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, seemingly caught between fire and flood, was then asked to formally record a clarification that “no minister intends to violate international law.” It remains unclear who requested the statement be made, though it appeared to be a move to cover legal exposure following the inflammatory discussion.

Doubling down, Ben Gvir remained defiant: “There is enough food there. I don’t understand why anyone who fights against us should automatically be given aid. Where exactly is this written in international law?” His sentiment was echoed by Settlements Minister Orit Strook, another far-right figure who backed Ben Gvir’s call to end aid deliveries.

Despite the fury in the room, ministers ultimately voted to approve two key moves: a broadened military offensive against Hamas and a renewed humanitarian aid mechanism aimed at minimizing Hamas's theft of civilian supplies. Only Ben Gvir voted against the aid renewal plan. On Sunday, video circulating on social media reportedly showed Hamas members executing Palestinians who were accused of trying to steal food from Hamas storage facilities.

These facilities have been stocked with the aid that Hamas has diverted from the people towards their own coffers. Throughout the conflict, evidence of Hamas stealing United Nations aid packages as they came into the Strip has been abundant, with many in Israel asking why the country has to supply its enemy with sustenance. The new measure is intended to bipass Hamas hijacking of aid and ensure the goods get to the intended population.

Ironically, even as aid deliveries were greenlit in principle, no aid is currently flowing into the Gaza Strip, which has now entered its third consecutive month under a complete Israeli blockade. International organizations have warned of impending famine, while Israeli officials continue to debate whether starving Hamas also means starving Gaza’s 2 million residents.

Zamir concluded the meeting with a stark warning: expanding the offensive could risk the lives of hostages still held by Hamas. But for some ministers, it appears that vengeance now outweighs prudence.

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