Israel has said it will allow a limited amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza after a near three-month blockade, days after global experts on food crises warned of famine.
Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said a “starvation crisis” would jeopardise Israel’s new military offensive in Gaza, and his cabinet approved a decision to allow a “basic” amount of food into the territory of more than 2 million people.
It was not immediately clear when aid would enter Gaza, or how. The Israeli military body in charge of overseeing aid did not comment.
Israel has been trying to impose a new aid system, despite objections by aid workers. Mr Netanyahu said Israel would work to ensure that aid does not reach militants.
Israel imposed a complete blockade on humanitarian aid starting on March 2nd.
Mr Netanyahu said allowing in some aid would enable Israel to expand its new military operation, which began on Saturday.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel launched “extensive” new ground operations in Gaza. Air strikes in its new offensive killed at least 103 people, including dozens of children, overnight and into Sunday, hospitals and medics said.
The bombardment forced northern Gaza’s main hospital to close as it reported direct strikes.
Israel began the offensive – the largest since it shattered a ceasefire in March – with the aim of seizing territory and displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Israel is pressuring Hamas to agree to a temporary ceasefire that would free hostages from Gaza but not necessarily end the war. Hamas says it wants a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and a path to ending the war as part of any deal.
“When the Jews want a truce, Hamas refuses, and when Hamas wants a truce, the Jews refuse it. Both sides agree to exterminate the Palestinian people,” said Jabaliya resident Abu Mohammad Yassin, who was among those fleeing the new offensive on foot or in donkey carts.
“For God’s sake, have mercy on us. We are tired of displacement.”
Israel’s military, which recently called up tens of thousands of reservists, said the ground operations are throughout the Palestinian territory. Israel’s chief of staff, Lieut Gen Eyal Zamir, said that plans include “dissecting” the strip.
Before the announcement, air strikes killed more than 48 people – including 18 children and 13 women – in and around the southern city of Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, which said it struggled to count the dead because of the condition of bodies.
In northern Gaza, a strike on a home in Jabaliya killed nine members of a family, according to the Gaza health ministry’s emergency services.
Another strike on a residence there killed 10, including seven children and a woman, according to the civil defence, which operates under the Hamas-run government.
Israel’s military had no immediate comment. Its statement announcing the ground operations said preliminary strikes over the past week killed dozens of militants and struck more than 670 targets.
Israel blames civilian casualties on Hamas because the militant group operates from civilian areas.
Shortly afterward, Israel’s military said that it intercepted a projectile from central Gaza and another fell in an open area, with no injuries reported. – AP
