IDF chief Zamir said to clash with Ben Gvir on Gaza aid: 'Your statements are dangerous'

There was a “heated discussion” at the cabinet meeting last night between the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, after the latter declared it was unnecessary to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, Hebrew-language media reports.

According to Channel 12, far-right minister Ben Gvir said that “there is no need to bring in aid [to Gaza], they have enough. Hamas’s food stores should be bombed.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly responded: “These ideas endanger us.”

The Kan public broadcaster says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intervened and said to Zamir: “Excuse me, every minister here can state their position and disagree with officers.”

Zamir responded, apparently to Ben Gvir: “You don’t understand what you are saying. You are endangering us all. There is international law and we are committed to it. We cannot starve the Strip, your statements are dangerous.”

Netanyahu reportedly repeated that ministers can disagree with Zamir’s position and added that if ministers make comments that are against the law, it is the attorney general’s job to clarify the law for them.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara responded that Israel is “obligated to bring aid into the Strip under international law.”

Kan reports that Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs was then asked to note for the record that “no minister intends to violate international law.” It is unclear who asked him to make that declaration.

Ben Gvir responded: “There is enough food there. I don’t understand why anyone who fights against us should automatically be given aid. Where exactly is this written in international law?”

According to Kan, far-right Settlements Minister Orit Strook backed Ben Gvir on the issue of aid.

Ministers at the meeting approved a plan to broaden the military offensive against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip, even as Zamir reportedly warned ministers that this could endanger the hostages.

Additionally, the security cabinet approved a plan to renew aid deliveries into Gaza while overhauling the mechanism in order to minimize diversion of the goods by Hamas to benefit its operatives. Ben Gvir was the only one who voted against the plan, which is to be implemented when the situation in Gaza necessitates it.

The worsening food shortage in the Strip is now entering its third month under a complete Israeli ban on the entry of humanitarian aid.