Israel continues its systematic starvation of Palestinians in Gaza, under the guise of a new aid distribution plan — a policy that critics argue seeks to weaponise humanitarian assistance to weaken Hamas while bypassing international law.
For nearly two months, Israel has blocked all humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip. On March 2, 2025, Tel Aviv closed the Karam Abu Salem, Erez, and Zikim crossings, halting the entry of food and fuel entirely.
Politicising Hunger: Israel’s New “Aid” Blueprint
Israeli leadership is now pushing a military-controlled aid distribution model, designed to deny any form of logistical or moral support to Hamas. The policy was discussed at a security cabinet meeting held on April 22, with sharp divisions emerging between military and political figures.
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- Defense Minister Yoav Gallant insisted aid would no longer be delivered via previous channels: “Because they empower Hamas, the aid must now be distributed by Israeli soldiers or vetted American companies.”
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- Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi pushed back, warning: “We will not distribute aid with our soldiers, and we will not starve Gaza.”
Yet far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened resignation if any form of aid is approved, exposing how starvation is being deliberately leveraged as political capital.
The Plan: Controlled Starvation, Foreign Contractors
According to Maariv, the Israeli army — through its Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) — presented a proposal involving private American security firms to manage aid delivery in Gaza.
Key features include:
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- Only 600 trucks per week, a fraction of the previously allowed 600 daily, will enter Gaza.
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- Distribution will occur in military-controlled “aid islands” in southern Gaza, mainly near the Morag Corridor and other eastern lines under Israeli control.
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- Aid will be handed directly to pre-approved family representatives, who will receive only enough food based on caloric intake calculations, under strict monitoring.
Aid packages will contain rations sufficient for a few days. Families will have to return regularly to militarised zones to receive new parcels — a setup that compromises safety and dignity.
Sources also revealed that:
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- “Rahma Worldwide” and “JIM”, two American relief organisations, are set to work with the Israeli-approved contractors.
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- One key player is likely to be Orbis Security, whose leadership has ties to Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
Humanitarian Concerns: Calculated Deprivation
According to “Channel 14,” the plan’s core assumption is that 100 trucks per day is the minimum required to prevent famine — not alleviate suffering. The plan aims to meet the bare minimum for survival, rather than uphold humanitarian standards.
Critics, including top Israeli generals, fear direct soldier involvement could spark deadly incidents, potentially escalating the international legal backlash — especially at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The Israeli army will remain 200 meters away from each aid distribution point, avoiding direct contact but maintaining full control.
The aid plan, critics argue, is engineered not for relief, but for surveillance, submission, and starvation.
Gaza Rejects the Plan: “An Occupation PR Stunt”
Speaking to Arabi Post, Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office, condemned the proposed aid mechanism as a:
“Blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a cynical attempt to legitimise a brutal occupation.”
He added:
“This so-called aid system forces civilians into militarised zones, placing them at grave risk. It violates the core principles of neutrality, independence, and human dignity.”
Al-Thawabta also held Israel fully responsible for the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, stating that more than 2.4 million Palestinians — including over 1.1 million children — have been denied food, milk, and essential supplies for over 60 days.
He urged the United Nations and international actors to reject Israel’s unilateral plan, and restore neutral, UN-led aid mechanisms that respect humanitarian law.
Will the Aid Plan Succeed — or Fail Like the Others?
Previous Israeli aid frameworks during the war have consistently failed, often due to international pushback, logistical impracticality, or sheer political sabotage.
Many NGOs reportedly refuse to participate, citing grave concerns over safety and the manipulation of aid as a political tool.
An Arab official, speaking to the Times of Israel, doubted the plan’s ability to sideline Hamas, noting that it seeks only to keep Palestinians “barely alive” — not to sustain or protect them.
Final Conditions: Starvation or Submission?
The aid plan, according to Israeli media, will not proceed unless:
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- A prisoner exchange deal is reached.
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- Food stocks in Gaza fully deplete, forcing a humanitarian intervention to prevent mass death.
A senior Israeli analyst summed it up starkly:
“What’s driving this policy is a toxic triangle — American pressure, military reluctance, and political incompetence. This is why the war drags on, and why Hamas still stands.”
