Jerusalem [Israel], March 22: The Wall Street Journal reported on March 21 that top Israeli defense officials are planning to let Palestinian leaders and businessmen unrelated to Hamas distribute aid, then take over management. Gaza.
The Israeli side is said to have been in dialogue with regional countries such as Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan about the above plan to call for support. Accordingly, those in charge of distributing aid will "take over governance, backed by security forces funded by wealthy Arab governments".
It is unclear what parties' opinions are on this idea, while an official in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office told the US newspaper that "Gaza will be run by people who do not seek to kill Israelis".
Information about the plan was announced at a time when Israel continued its military campaign in Gaza despite international pressure. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu estimated the death toll in Gaza at about 28,000, 4,000 fewer than the latest figure released by the Hamas-run health agency.
In the West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent announced that four people were killed after the Israeli attack on the Nur Shams refugee camp, while Israel said it was checking this number, according to AFP. The Israeli army yesterday said it had killed more than 50 gunmen in the previous 24 hours around Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest medical facility. Israel also announced the discovery of weapons warehouses and other infrastructure inside the hospital.
At the same time, Israel is also preparing for a major attack on Rafah City, where more than 1 million people are sheltering and is considered the last stronghold of Hamas. Mr. Netanyahu said it will take some time before the operation begins. US President Joe Biden has announced that he does not support this campaign and asked Israel to send a delegation to Washington to discuss other options.
Israel's plans in Rafah are causing division between the country and its US ally. Prime Minister Netanyahu on March 20 announced via video call with US Republican senators that Israel will continue its efforts to defeat Hamas. The call took place after Democratic leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer called Netanyahu a barrier to peace and called for a new election in Israel.
Mr. Schumer's statement caused Israel to react violently and accuse him of trying to interfere in politics. Republican leader in the US Senate Mitch McConnell said the US should not interfere in the election of a democratic ally as well as the way they carry out military campaigns, a statement said to be aimed directly at his statements. Schumer.
According to Reuters, a spokesman for Mr. Schumer said Prime Minister Netanyahu offered to speak to Democratic lawmakers but Mr. Schumer refused. US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican member, confirmed on March 20 that he is considering inviting Mr. Netanyahu to speak before the US Congress, but that requires Mr. Schumer's approval. Mr. Netanyahu could only speak in the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives, but that would only highlight the current divisions in Washington, where support for Israel was once a bipartisan consensus.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper