Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed strong opposition to the military’s plans to implement daily tactical pauses in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The military had announced the implementation of daily pauses from 05:00 GMT until 16:00 GMT to facilitate aid delivery along a crucial road into the besieged Gaza Strip, a move that Netanyahu reportedly deemed unacceptable.
The prime minister’s stance underscores the political tensions surrounding aid delivery to Gaza, where international organizations have warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis and the looming threat of famine. The opposition to the tactical pauses has highlighted divisions within the government and the military on the issue of aid to Gaza, with far-right government ministers advocating for further reductions in aid despite existing concerns about inadequate humanitarian assistance in the region.
Tensions over the handling of the Gaza assault have been exacerbated by clashes between government members and the military, particularly following the resignation of centrist former general Benny Gantz, who criticized Netanyahu’s lack of effective strategy in Gaza. Additionally, clashes over conscription policies for the ultra-Orthodox community have deepened the divisions within the coalition, further complicating the government’s approach to the conflict.
As the conflict in Gaza persists, and in the wake of intensifying exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah across the Israel-Lebanon border, the possibility of a broader regional escalation looms. Amid these complexities, Netanyahu’s administration has extended the period for funding hotels and guest houses for residents evacuated from southern Israeli border towns, signalling a prolonged and entrenched approach to the conflict in Gaza.
