Netanyahu permits limited aid in Gaza as Israel plans new offensive: Reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday, August 4, permitted limited humanitarian aid into Gaza amid reports that the occupying forces are planning a new offensive in Gaza.

As per Israeli media, the military offensive launched in mid-May 2025 failed to get Israeli captives out. The Israeli government will now reportedly use the humanitarian aid as a cover for a renewed offensive, particularly on Gaza and the coastal area of al-Mawasi.

According to reports, differences have arisen between the Israeli government and military regarding how the offensive should end. The conflict between the government and the military comes at a time when Netanyahu is facing public criticism.

Over 50 percent of Israelis hold the current government wholly or partially responsible for failing to reach a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal with Hamas, according to a recent poll by Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies.

Gaza’s response

In response to the Israeli government, the authorities in Gaza said that only 674 aid trucks have been allowed to enter the strip since July 27. This meets only 14 percent of Gaza’s daily requirement of 600 aid trucks.

The authorities alleged that 80 trucks that entered Gaza on August 3 were looted as part of a deliberately engineered climate of chaos and starvation, adding that Israel is weaponising hunger and starvation against the Palestinian resistance.

The authorities in Gaza urged humanitarian organisations to demand the permanent reopening of Gaza’s crossings to ensure the safe and sufficient flow of food, medicine, and infant formula.

It is noteworthy that Israel has rejected international calls for a ceasefire since October 2023, killing nearly 61,000 Palestinians so far. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence minister Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel has also been charged with committing genocide in Gaza in the International Court of Justice.