Israel is promoting the creation of a multinational Arab force to secure the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant achieved significant progress this week, during his visit to Washington, on the initiative that would consist of armed elements from three Arab countries in the region.

Gallant updated the Prime Minister, the War Cabinet and the Chief of Staff on the progress - and intends to continue actions to promote the project.

In the first phase, the multinational force would to secure the humanitarian aid convoys that are being looted by masses of hungry Gazans, as well as the port that the US government is building on Gaza's coast.

The plan is meant to serve two goals. The first is to weaken Hamas' rule on the ground and prevent it from receiving any of the aid being delivered.

The second is to help Israel deal with US pressure, end attacks on aid convoys, and substantially increasing the transportation of aid for civilians.

The force is currently being discussed as a merely temporary solution, keeping in line with the government's position that Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and other local entities do not get control over distribution of the aid.

The Ministry of Defense said on Friday that the Americans accepted the idea, but conditioned it on the progress of the "day after" the war plan that Gallant presented almost three months ago. Following Gallant's visit, follow-up discussions on the issue were held in Washington, with representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the IDF and the Israel Defense Forces.

(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)