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Humanitarian Bodies Have a Duty to Support the New U.S.-Israel Aid Plan for Gaza

(Telegraph-UK) Col. (ret.) Richard Kemp - Two of Israel's war aims are to destroy Hamas's military capabilities and prevent it from continuing to govern Gaza. Last week, the IDF began an intensive campaign to finish off the terrorist group. This has been prepared over the past 11 weeks by blocking supplies into Gaza. That has been necessary because until now Hamas has been hijacking food and other aid entering the Strip, stockpiling some for its own use and selling the rest to the population at inflated prices. The proceeds of aid sales have been essential for Hamas to fund its terrorist activities. Hamas's control of aid distribution is the most powerful tool it has to retain a stranglehold over the Gaza population. A new U.S.-Israel initiative aims to put a stop to that by establishing secure aid posts inside Gaza from where those in need would collect food under strict control. I know of no other conflict in which the UN has not actively encouraged the removal of populations from a dangerous combat zone. The same applies to the failure of the UN or any major power to pressure Egypt into opening its borders to allow temporary refuge. There have been few other conflicts worldwide where neighboring countries have not opened their borders to let civilians escape to safety. Refusing to co-operate in proposals to get civilians to safety so that Hamas terrorists can be killed while minimizing collateral damage certainly helps frustrate Israel's war efforts. The best way to end this war and get the hostages out is the rapid and efficient defeat of Hamas, and that depends to a very large extent on the success of the new food-distribution project. All responsible governments and humanitarian bodies have a duty to support it. The writer, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, was chairman of the UK's national crisis management committee, COBRA.
2025-05-20 00:00:00
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