Israel has been imposing a two-month blockade of aid and food supplies. As we can imagine, Israel has been endlessly criticised as “cruel” and “harsh” etc.
There are 2 points to make:
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(1) Why is Hamas not being criticised (anywhere near Israel) to release all the tortured hostages, dead and alive; and surrender unconditionally?
This would end the terror of Hamas – against Israel and the Palestinians. This will ALL end once Hamas releases the hostages and lay down their weapons.
It’s shocking just how little news coverage is given to the thousands of Palestinians marching against Hamas in the streets of Gaza, as well as Hamas torturing and executing Palestinian civilians who attempt to access aid meant for them.
In the messiness of war, we must never lose sight of who the bad guys are: Hamas. They’re evil incarnate.
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(2) Who is responsible for the blockade?
The truth is that – while Israel is fighting to defeat Hamas, save lives and bring the hostages home – Hamas is the one blocking humanitarian aid. There have been endless reports now of Hamas seizing the aid, then SELLING it to Gazans at extortionate prices, and thus starving “their own” people to keep their stranglehold on power.
(See this recent article at the Times of Israel: “Cash-strapped Hamas can’t pay fighters as Israeli offensive hits funding sources” – “Sources tell Wall Street Journal terror group used seized goods from humanitarian aid supplies to raise money, but with deliveries cut off, it is running out of resources”).
The ICJ case should be easy for Israel. They should be able to prove sufficient calories and nutrition were allowed into Gaza to feed every single person. Much of it was then given to UNRWA and then diverted to Hamas who sold it in Gaza or smuggled it into Egypt to sell.
In effect, this means that the aid goes towards funding Hamas’ war efforts against Israel. That is why it’s reasonable and legal for Israel to stop the transfer of aid.
Israel isn’t blocking the aid. It's trying to stop Hamas weaponising it.
Israel’s responsibility is to allow & facilitate the transfer of aid. It’s the role of the UN, NGOs, and local civilian administrations to distribute it. If there was any credible organisation that could guarantee that aid would actually reach the Gazan civilians – and not Hamas’ pockets; Gaza would be flooded with supplies.
It is worth noting that the UN just rejected Israel’s aid plan proposal (which they’ve been working on with an international humanitarian aid group for weeks and with US backing) which would ensure that people are fed without the aid being pilfered by Hamas. As per the Times (“UN humanitarian agency rejects Israeli plan to majorly alter Gaza aid delivery mechanism”):
... the IDF would not be directly involved in the distribution of aid, but troops would be tasked with providing an outer layer of security for the private contractors and international organizations handing out the assistance. Israel believes this method will make it harder for Hamas to divert aid to its fighters, the officials said.
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It seems to me obvious that Israel is not engaging on blockades as a “weapon of war” (or “collective punishment” etc.) - it is seeking to weaken its enemy while trying to help the vulnerable and weak of Gaza.
