The “tactical pause” will apply to the south of the Gaza Strip, in the area around Rafah, Israel’s military (IDF) said on the Telegram messaging service on Sunday morning. The break will apply from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will ensure that more humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip. It came as news to many. Including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That’s what the Prime Minister’s office said on Sunday morning. – When the prime minister heard the news on Sunday morning about an 11-hour humanitarian pause in the hostilities, he told his military adviser that this is unacceptable, the office states in a statement. This is written by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Minister of Security: – Idiot After dialogue with the military, the situation is now “clarified”, the Prime Minister’s office further claims: – It was communicated to the Prime Minister that there is no change in the IDF’s policy, and the fighting in Rafah will continue as planned. A truck with humanitarian aid passes the Kerem Shalom border crossing on 30 May Photo: Tsafrir Abayov / AP So far, there is uncertainty about what this means for the military’s plans for a daily “tactical pause”. The news was not well received by Israel’s security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir either. – Whoever decided on a “tactical break” for a humanitarian purpose, especially at a time when our soldiers are dying in battles, is evil and an idiot who should not be allowed to continue in his position, wrote Ben Gvir on Telegram on Sunday morning. The person who came to stay in the hostilities in Gaza must be fired, according to Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP He claims that the decision was not presented to the government and is contrary to government policy. The IDF, for its part, rejects the criticism linked to the government’s sudden announcement of the tactical pause. That is written by Haaretz. The army says the plan is a “military decision” that comes after Netanyahu recently reportedly ordered more aid into Gaza and better protection for aid workers. Save the Children: – We have seen many promises The pause in hostilities is being introduced after several discussions with the UN and international organisations, according to the IDF. The purpose is to allow trucks with humanitarian aid to pass through the Israeli-controlled border crossing Kerem Shalom in the very south of Gaza. The drawn area shows where the main road that the IDF has said will have several hours without hostilities every day runs. Source: IDF. The crossing is the most important for aid supplies going into the Gaza Strip. From Kerem Shalom, the trucks can continue safely to the Salah a-Din road, the main road that runs from south to north in Gaza, so that aid can also be delivered to other parts of the area, the IDF statement says. Nor is Nora Ingdal from Save the Children exclusively positive about the IDF’s announcement: – First we have to see if there will be a break at all, Ingdal says to news on Sunday morning. – We have seen many promises, very many times. The real test is whether the emergency aid reaches the children who are suffering, she continues. Nora Ingdal from Redd Barna guested on news Helgemorgen on Sunday morning. The picture was taken on an earlier occasion. Photo: Lars Os / news From 6 May to 6 June, an average of 68 lorries with aid entered Gaza every day, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA. This is a sharp decrease from the 168 trucks that were registered in April. Aid organizations believe that 500 trucks are needed a day. Israel and the UN have accused each other of being to blame for the slowdown in aid deliveries. Demanding more from Israel Ingdal believes that the border crossings must be opened completely. She describes the news from the IDF as a “cosmetic adjustment”. – All the help that comes in is important. Any help is great. That is the way this is done. These constant violations of international law. These negotiations, a truck here, an hour opening there. That is what we react to, she says. There are long queues of emergency aid outside the border crossing from Egypt into Gaza. Photo: Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters She also believes that more must be done to ensure that aid workers can do their jobs. – It is not safe and secure for aid organizations to do the work we are set to do, says Ingdal and continues: – The civilian population has a right to get food, help and medicine in without these restrictions. Now the borders must be opened completely, so that humanitarian organizations can safely do what they have to do. Interested in foreign affairs? Listen to the foreign affairs editor’s podcast: Published 16.06.2024, at 06.40 Updated 16.06.2024, at 12.41
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