(Jerusalem Post) Seth J. Frantzman - The IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on Sunday pushed back against claims of shortages in Gaza and stressed that Israel is "trying to act in accordance with international law to minimize harm to civilians. COGAT officer Elad Goren noted that on Oct. 7, Hamas attacked the Erez crossing where Gazans enter Israel for medical treatment. Three COGAT soldiers were murdered. COGAT has "assembled a team of experts that assess the humanitarian situation on a daily basis - what is in stock and what is missing - and we interface with international organizations in Gaza." The IDF monitors the full scope of water, food, energy, and health needs. "We check what is the situation in UN warehouses and shelters, the amount in hospitals and food warehouses, and the condition of water supply wells and desalination facilities." While Hamas wants to present the humanitarian situation as worse than it is, Israel says there is no food shortage in Gaza and there won't be for weeks to come. COGAT stressed that "90% of drinking water is self-sourced [from Gaza] and 10% comes from three waterlines from Israel." Hamas struck one of those lines on Oct. 7; Israel has now opened two of them. "Hospital administrators in Gaza have been shouting since the beginning of the war that they have diesel fuel for only another 24 hours but they are still operating. Hamas is supplying them the fuel and has an interest in keeping them operational because hospitals above the ground became Hamas centers underground."
2023-10-30 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive