Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon (Wednesday) ordered the IDF to inspect a shipment of medicine being sent into the Gaza Strip for the Israeli hostages who are still held captive by Hamas.
Earlier, Netanyahu had said that he had nothing to do with the decision to exempt the shipment from the usual security checks of aid going into Gaza and blamed security officials for the move. IDF officials told Channel 12 News that the army had not been made aware of the directive not to inspect the shipment.
The Prime Minister's Office said this afternoon that he "directed the delivery of medicines to the hostages, but did not deal at all with the arrangements for testing their entry, which are determined by the IDF and the security forces."
National Unity Party chairman Minister Benny Gantz responded to Netanyahu and said, "Bringing the drugs to our hostages is a significant and important move that we worked hard to achieve. The responsibility for the decision as well as for its implementation rests on the political echelon - and only on us."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tweeted: “Mr. Prime Minister, enough of chasing after Gantz and enough trying to dodge responsibility.”
He added, “Perhaps the technical inspection arrangements are the responsibility of the IDF and the security forces, but the responsibility for the IDF and the security forces to check that the trucks that are supposed to carry medicine for the hostages do not also carry ammunition and equipment for Hamas – is your responsibility and the responsibility of the war cabinet."
“If the trucks have not yet been brought in, simply instruct the IDF and the security forces not to allow them to be brought in without an inspection. This is absolutely within your responsibility and authority. Medicines for the hostages — absolutely. Oxygen for Hamas to continue fighting — madness,” Ben-Gvir said.
Earlier, Hamas political bureau member Musa Abu-Marzouk claimed that Israel would not inspect the shipment of medicines that is being transferred to Gaza.
The drugs, according to Abu-Marzouk, would be supplied by "a country we trust", referring to Qatar. In addition, he wrote that Hamas refused France's request to transfer the drugs, "due to our lack of confidence in its position supporting the Israeli occupation and its position against the aspirations of our people."
The medicines will be distributed by the Red Cross in four hospitals in the Gaza Strip. In addition, according to Abu-Marzouk, more aid and food will arrive.
"Netanyahu is once again lying and deceiving his people. We are the ones who determined the quantity, the middleman, the distribution mechanism, and the delivery of the medicines," wrote Abu-Marzouk, who added that 1,000 medicines for Gazans would be delivered for every individual medicine delivered for the hostages.