The IDF acknowledged on Friday that while there is no starvation in Gaza, food security is at a dangerous and sensitive point and that it is working hard to keep food security balanced.
The military noted that there were sensitive periods for food security during the 21-month war. However, when each period of food insecurity arose in Gaza, the IDF worked hard with humanitarian organizations and NGOs to address the issue.
At this time, the military is attempting to persuade the UN and other aid organizations to dispatch approximately 900 aid trucks to distribution points. It should be noted that the trucks are already on the Gaza side of the border and have been approved by the IDF.
The military argued that the reason there is a current hunger crisis in Gaza is not because food security is worse now than at any other point during the war, but because Hamas is highlighting the issue now during ceasefire negotiations.
During the talks, Hamas has been trying to eliminate the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Gaza because the organization presents a major challenge to its political control over food distribution in the enclave.
Issues with aid deliveries in Gaza
Another issue that has arisen is the IDF’s new registration process to deliver food in Gaza. The military had aid organizations register to hand out food in the enclave; as part of the vetting process, organizations were investigated for cooperating illegally with Hamas.
Some organizations were removed from the list of approved aid distributors, while others had to make foundational changes to continue distributing food.
This created tensions between the military and the aid organizations and has made them more critical of Israel.
Additionally, Israel has gained control of over 75% of the Gaza Strip, which has made life more difficult for civilians there.
Gaza civilians are now kept in closer quarters, which is affecting sanitation measures and the organization of food deliveries.
The IDF argued that keeping civilians in close quarters with one another has heavily reduced Hamas’s abilities to control large portions of the Palestinian population, since the terrorist organization can now no longer maneuver as easily in other parts of Gaza.
The IDF also said that since it has gained control three-quarters of the enclave, local armed militias have been able to take some control away from Hamas, which is viewed as a positive development.
The military said that there are several unnamed militias operating in Gaza to take control away from Hamas, but the most notable example of this would be Yasser Abu Shabab in Rafah.
According to the IDF, Hamas wants to end the war and has realized that stressing humanitarian concerns like hunger and medical issues will attract sympathy from foreign media and governments, who will then place greater pressure on Israel.
The military again emphasized that there is no starvation in Gaza, but that there is a definite food security challenge there.
One example of this tactic from Hamas was during an earlier stage of the war, when a water crisis struck Gaza. However, that faded away because there was no real water insecurity. Another example was a supposed hospital crisis in the Gaza Strip, but those medical centers were replaced after the IDF struck them.
The army estimates that the current hunger crisis has taken a stronger hold in the media’s attention because there is an ongoing problem with food security within the Gaza Strip. Because it has garnered significant media attention, the military assumes that this is a tactic aimed at influencing the ceasefire and hostage negotiations.