The Israeli prime minister’s office clarified that the fighting in Rafah, southern Gaza, will continue as planned, following the military’s announcement of a “tactical pause” that would last 11 hours a day.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified today that the fighting in Rafah, in southern Gaza, will continue as planned, following the military’s announcement of a “tactical pause” in military activity, which would last 11 hours a day.
“When the Prime Minister heard reports of a humanitarian pause in the 11-hour-a-day fighting, he told his military secretary this was unacceptable. Once the situation was clarified, the Prime Minister was informed that there are no changes in the policy of the Israel Defense Forces and that the fighting in Rafah will continue as planned,” reads a statement issued by Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. .
Hours earlier, the Army had announced the establishment of a “tactical pause” in military activity from the Kerem Shalom crossing (south) along the Salah al Din highway to the Khan Yunis European Hospital, in order to allow the entry and distribution of more humanitarian aid. aid.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the pause would begin in the Rafah area of southern Gaza at 8 a.m. (6 a.m. in Lisbon) and would remain in effect until 7 p.m. (5 p.m. in Lisbon). and would be repeated every day until 7:00 p.m. Additional notice.
The aforementioned cessation would occur “every day, until further notice,” detailed a military statement.
The measure, which was being coordinated with the UN and international aid agencies, was aimed at allowing aid trucks to travel safely and bring supplies to all parts of Gaza, the IDF said.
Following this announcement, the Minister of National Security, the extremist Itamar Ben Gvir, spoke out against any “tactical truce.”
Israel’s offensive against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, with the UN reporting widespread famine and hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of starvation.
The international community has urged Tel Aviv to do more to alleviate the crisis.
Between May 6 and June 6, the UN received an average of 68 trucks of aid per day, according to data from the organization’s humanitarian office, known as OCHA.
Source: Observadora
