Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett directed harsh criticism at the Cabinet decision to allow greater quantities of fuel into the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons while the war is still underway.
The decision was made after the US pressed Israel to do so. A statement by the Prime Minister's Office claimed: "The minimal amount of fuel will be decided on an ongoing basis by the War Cabinet according to the spread of disease and the humanitarian needs of the Gaza Strip."
Bennett wrote on X: "Allowing fuel to Gaza during the war is injecting energy into Hamas. This is a serious mistake, and especially when our hostages are being held in inhuman conditions and against International law, and are not even allowed visits from the Red Cross."
"The fuel is literally the oxygen of Hamas. Without it Hamas would collapse. Hamas uses fuel for its ventilation and lighting systems in its terror tunnels, to move forces and other terrorist actions against us."
"Someone who sends our soldiers against a cynical enemy should know how to stand up to pressure, especially at such a vital point in the war."
The decision to increase the amount of fuel to Gaza was supported by the majority of the Cabinet, and opposed by ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Israel has this far allowed approximately 60,000 litres of fuel to be brought into the Gaza Strip for humanitarian purposes on a daily basis. The American government has pushed to allow at least three times that amount.
Minister Ben-Gvir criticized the Cabinet decision: "This fuel will go to Hamas. We said several weeks ago that not one drop of fuel will be allowed in, and now have moved the boundary. To defeat Hamas and terrorism, we must end this conceptual approach."