PALESTINE
Sat 01 Mar 2025 6:37 pm - Jerusalem Time
Israeli plan to manage Gaza raises doubts about military withdrawal
The British newspaper, The Guardian, revealed a plan submitted by the Israeli occupation army to the United Nations and relief organizations to manage the Gaza Strip, which includes imposing stricter Israeli military control than it was before the war, according to humanitarian officials.
The newspaper confirmed that the Israeli plan raises doubts about whether Benjamin Netanyahu's government has any intention of implementing a military withdrawal, noting that in meetings with UN representatives and officials in other agencies, the Israeli authorities outlined a plan to distribute supplies through Israeli logistics centers.
She explained that "the scheme is a version of a scheme that was tried more than a year ago in Gaza, known as humanitarian bubbles, which involves distributing aid from small areas under tight control of the Israeli army, which would expand over time."
She continued: "The experiment was abandoned after a few experiments in northern Gaza," indicating that "the experiment was revived by the Israeli government's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories unit, coinciding with the possible negotiations for the second stage of the ceasefire agreement, which is supposed to include the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip."
"The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories' plan instead includes tightening Israel's grip on daily life in the Palestinian territories," she said, noting that "the humanitarian centers themselves can be secured by private security companies, but they will be located in areas under the full control of the Israeli army."
She pointed out that "the only entrance to Gaza through which aid is allowed to enter under the plan is the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is controlled by Israel, and the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza will be permanently closed."
She continued: "NGOs allowed to operate in Gaza must be registered inside Israel, and all employees working for them or for UN agencies must be vetted."
“Since aid will only be allowed in through an Israeli crossing, this would make it almost impossible for UNRWA, the largest aid organization in Gaza, to operate in Gaza, which Israel has blocked,” she added.
The newspaper quoted officials familiar with the Israeli plan as saying: “It was presented to us as an established fact, and Israeli officials say that it has the full support of the United States, and therefore it will be difficult for the United Nations to resist it.”
Share your opinion
Israeli plan to manage Gaza raises doubts about military withdrawal