As part of its plans for a large-scale ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army intends to establish three food distribution centers for Gazans. All of these centers will be located in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip.

The army claims that the mechanism it has put in place prevents Hamas from accessing these supplies.

According to this mechanism, food distribution to Gazans will take place in the area between the Morag and Philadelphi axes. The area will be "cleared," meaning free of Palestinian fighters. It will be controlled by the Israeli army, and Palestinians will only enter after being searched "to ensure that Hamas elements do not enter," Israeli Army Radio reported Tuesday.

The radio station added that there will be no other food distribution centers throughout the Strip. "No aid will be distributed anywhere else," which would accelerate the displacement of residents from the north of the Strip to the south.

Israel is considering establishing a single temporary food distribution center in the northern Gaza Strip, initially, which will be closed later after residents of the northern Gaza Strip are displaced to the southern Gaza Strip.

The food distribution mechanism is based on allowing a family representative to come to a distribution center and obtain a quantity of food for his family only.

The Israeli security service calculated the amount of food needed, claiming that "the average family in the Gaza Strip needs approximately 70 kilograms of food per week to survive," according to the radio.

Each family representative in the Strip will receive "sufficient food for their family to prevent famine in the Strip."

The food will be distributed through registers managed by American charities and private companies, with the claim that "this way, the aid will reach families and citizens."

The radio quoted Israeli security sources as saying, "We believe this is the best mechanism to ensure that aid does not reach Hamas."

Three UN agencies last week urged Israel to end the humanitarian aid embargo that is putting the population of the Gaza Strip at risk of starvation.

It should be noted that Israel has been preventing the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip since March 2nd. No food, medicine, or fuel has entered the Strip since then, and most of the water sources in the Strip are unfit for drinking.

An Israeli "political source in the Prime Minister's Office" said yesterday that the decisions taken by the political-security cabinet the day before yesterday included the possibility of distributing humanitarian aid "if needed." Cabinet ministers were told that at this stage there is enough food in Gaza, contrary to reports from all international relief organizations operating in the Strip, confirming that Israel is deliberately starving the people of Gaza.

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, condemned Israel's blocking of humanitarian aid since March 2, asserting that it is causing a "politically motivated, man-made famine."

On Friday, the World Food Programme announced that it had "delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meal kitchens in the Gaza Strip. These kitchens are expected to run out of food completely in the coming days."