May 19 (UPI) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that a four-day-old military ground offensive in Gaza was succeeding in bringing Israel closer to controlling the Palestinian enclave.
“Intensive and large-scale military activity in Gaza” meant the Israeli military was “moving toward full control of the entire Strip,” Netanyahu said as he hit back at criticism from Israel’s far-right of his decision to end an 11-week aid-blockade.
Netanyahu said he understood their concerns but warned that people starving in Gaza would only derail Israel’s war aims of defeating Hamas and getting back the remaining hostages abducted from southern Israel in the Oct. 7 attacks.
“It’s important to know the facts. We must avoid a situation of famine, both in substance and in perception. If there is famine, we will lose international support and won’t be able to achieve victory,” Netanyahu said.
While this had been the case whenever Israel halted humanitarian aid to prevent it falling into the hands of Hamas, he said Israel was “approaching the red line”, with its allies and friends letting him know they “cannot handle images of starvation, of mass starvation.”
The iron grip delivered by Israel’s massive military offensive, codenamed Operation Gideon’s Chariot, would, in turn, allow the Israeli military to stop Hamas from stealing the aid being brought in, he added.
Netanyahu announced Sunday that Israel would allow in minimal aid, “just enough to prevent hunger.”
His comments came amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes overnight targeting the Indonesian Hospital and the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza and the city of Khan Yunis in the south, with hospitals saying more than 100 people had been killed in the past day.
Israel Defense Forces confirmed it had five divisions, around 50,000 troops, fighting for “complete control” and that it was moving the population out of harm’s way.
Evacuation orders were issued to residents of Khan Yunis, Bani Suhaila and Abasan governorates Monday morning, warning of an “unprecedented attack to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations in this area.”
“You must evacuate immediately west to the Mawasi [designated humanitarian] area. From this moment, Khan Yunis Governorate will be considered a dangerous combat zone. Terrorist organizations have brought you disaster. For your safety, evacuate immediately,” IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote in a post in Arabic on X.
The 2.1 million Palestinians living in Gaza were at “critical risk” of famine, according tp the United Nations, while other aid agencies said Israel’s aid blockade constituted a starvation policy which could be a war crime.
