Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an increase in the amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza during a discussion on the war against Hamas, Channel 13 News reported.
During the debate, Netanyahu said, "We need to continue to strengthen humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza. This is a clear Israeli interest."
It was also reported that in the same discussion, Netanyahu raised the need to allow the transfer of aid into Gaza by sea and not only by land.
Netanyahu's order comes as some in the political echelon claim that it is necessary to reduce humanitarian aid to Gaza due, among other things, to the fact that Hamas is delaying its response to the proposal for a deal to release the 136 hostages the terrorist group still holds captive in Gaza.
A senior political official said in response to the report, "The goal is to reduce the amount of humanitarian aid that goes into the hands of the terrorist organization Hamas and the security establishment was asked within a period of time to formulate ideas on how to reduce the amount of aid in the hands of Hamas."
Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman responded to the report and wrote that "sources in the know tell me that the increased humanitarian aid will also include croissants, sushi, and lamb chops. In response to this, Hamas demands that foie gras and lox be added as well."
"Since Hamas demands an immediate answer, the war cabinet will meet tonight to approve the expanded 'humanitarian aid'. Unfortunately, all the jokes about this are at our expense and we are talking about the failure of the war cabinet," he said.
Economy Minister Nir Barkat also criticized the move and wrote, "Unfortunately, the 'conceptzia' people have learned nothing and instead of stopping all supplies to Gaza until the release of all our hostages - they are still thinking in terms of October 6. The intention to increase the aid that goes to Hamas is a disgrace that shows that the Conceptia cabinet has not learned anything. Zero aid until the full release of all the hostages."