Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised plans announced by the military to hold daily tactical pauses in fighting. This was along one of the main roads into Gaza to facilitate aid delivery into the Palestinian enclave.
Netanyahu opposes humanitarian pause in fighting
The military had announced the daily pauses from 05:00 GMT until 16:00 GMT in the area. This was from the Kerem Shalom Crossing to the Salah al-Din Road and then northwards.
The prime minister’s office has said that the humanitarian pause is unacceptable to him.
The military clarified that normal operations would continue in Rafah, the main focus of its operation in southern Gaza. Eight soldiers were killed here on Saturday
The reaction from Netanyahu underlined political tensions over the issue of aid coming into Gaza. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir denounced the idea of a tactical pause. He said that whoever decided it was a “fool” who should lose their job.
Spat between government coalition and military continues
The spat was the latest in a series of clashes between members of the coalition and the military over the conduct of the war. It came a week after centrist former general Benny Gantz quit the government. He accused Netanyahu of having no effective strategy in Gaza.
The divisions were laid bare last week in a parliamentary vote on a law on conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant voted against it in defiance of party orders. He said it was insufficient for the needs of the military.
Religious parties in the coalition have strongly opposed conscription for the ultra-Orthodox. This has drawn widespread anger from many Israelis, which has deepened as the war has gone on.
The government is under heavy pressure. Although opinion polls suggest most Israelis support the government’s aim of destroying Hamas, there have been widespread protests attacking the government for not doing more to bring home around 120 hostages.
Israel-Hezbollah conflict threatens to spiral out of control
As fighting in Gaza has continued, a lower-level conflict across the Israel-Lebanon border is now threatening to spiral into a wider war. Near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia have escalated.
Netanyahu’s government said on Sunday it was extending until Aug. 15 the period it would fund hotels and guest houses for residents evacuated from southern Israeli border towns. This suggests the fighting will drag on.
With inputs from Reuters
