Israeli National Security Minister incites bombing of food warehouses in Gaza

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the bombing of food and aid warehouses in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, during a visit to the United States.

“I had the honor and privilege of meeting with senior Republican officials at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida,” the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party said in a post on X.

He explained that the US officials expressed their support for my very clear position on how to conduct ourselves in Gaza, that food and aid stores should be bombed in order to create military and political pressure to return our hostages home safely.

On Monday, Ben-Gvir arrived in the United States, his first official visit since being boycotted by the administration of former President Joe Biden due to his opposition to peace and his calls for war, starvation and displacement of Palestinians, and the establishment of settlements in the occupied Gaza Strip.

On the other hand, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened on Wednesday to bring down Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and withdraw from it if the Gaza Strip isn’t occupied, a military government imposed there, and US President Donald Trump’s plan to expel Palestinians from the territory is not implemented.

“The prime minister (Netanyahu) is ultimately responsible for launching a campaign to defeat Hamas, occupy Gaza, impose an interim military government until another solution is found, return the hostages, and launch the Trump plan. Otherwise, this government has no right to exist,” Smotrich said in a statement.

Smotrich reiterated his refusal to support any move that would “provide logistical support to Hamas,” adding, “Continuing the military stagnation and providing humanitarian aid to Hamas while our prisoners are there is not an option”.

The extremist Israeli minister considered that managing the civilian effort in Gaza in a way that doesn’t fall into the hands of Hamas is the most important element in defeating the Palestinian movement and winning the war.

He added, “This is an integral part of the war effort and is far more important than another division and another firepower effort. Without understanding and applying this, we won’t be able to win”.

Following this statement, an Israeli political source stated that no decision had been made regarding the entry of aid into Gaza, while Tel Aviv continues to close the Strip’s crossings and prevent the entry of any food, relief, or medical supplies since March 2.

The source added, “The political leadership has instructed the security establishment and the army to deny Hamas control over humanitarian aid in any situation that may develop”.

The statements attributed to a “political source” were issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

Smotrich denied criticizing IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir during a meeting of the security cabinet on Tuesday evening.

He said in his statement, “I’ve no complaints about the Chief of Staff… My criticism is directed at the Prime Minister, who doesn’t impose the policy of the political echelon on the IDF”.

According to Israeli Haaretz newspaper, who reported on Wednesday that Smotrich criticized IDF Chief of Staff Zamir during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening, after Zamir expressed his opposition to Israeli soldiers distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Haaretz quoted Smotrich as telling Zamir, “We define the army’s tasks, and if you are unable to carry them out, we will bring in someone who can”.

Haaretz added, “According to sources familiar with the details of the meeting, the confrontation with the Chief of Staff, led by Smotrich and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, began after Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that there was no need to supply aid to Gaza, as Gaza already had sufficient supplies, and that he would oppose any future aid that Hamas might use to control the population and build a terrorist infrastructure,” he said.

Haaretz added, “Zamir said that soldiers wouldn’t provide aid, and that the army wouldn’t starve the Gaza Strip, which raised questions among ministers about whether his policies differed from those of his predecessor, Herzi Halevi”.

The Israeli newspaper noted that Netanyahu said the decision on whether to allow aid into Gaza would be made at the cabinet meeting scheduled for next Thursday.

On Tuesday, Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the Gaza Strip is experiencing the worst humanitarian situation since the beginning of the war due to Israel’s prevention of the entry of humanitarian aid.

Since March 2, Israel has closed the Gaza Strip’s crossings to the entry of food, relief, medical aid, and goods, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation for Palestinians, according to government, human rights, and international reports.