May 18 (UPI) -- Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday night allowed the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, for Palestinians in Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was among the leaders opposing the decision, but the security cabinet did not take a vote on the matter.
"On the recommendation of the IDF, and out of the operational need to enable the expansion of the intense fighting to defeat Hamas, Israel will introduce a basic amount of food to the population in order to ensure that a famine crisis does not develop in the Gaza Strip," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement obtained by the Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel. "Such a crisis would jeopardize the continuation of the 'Gideon Chariots' operation to defeat Hamas."
He concluded: "Israel will work to deny Hamas the ability to take control of the distribution of humanitarian aid to ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas terrorists."
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