IDF spokesman: Israel ‘cares about the nutrition of Gazans more than Hamas does’

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie reiterates that the military is not subjugating the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip to starvation, saying that Israel cares more about Gazan civilians than Hamas does.

“We are continuing to lead a process of bringing humanitarian aid, while continuing the fighting. Israel is the one that initiated the [Gaza Humanitarian Foundation] aid distribution sites… This is to prevent famine in Gaza,” Defrin says in a press conference.

“We are securing four [GHF] sites, allowing convoys and carrying out airdrops. Additionally, we designated humanitarian corridors that will allow safe travel for convoys of the UN and internal organizations. This is in addition to pauses in the fighting, to allow the civilians to collect the aid,” he says.

Defrin asserts that Hamas is stealing aid from the Gazan civilians, hiding it in tunnels, and at the same time carrying out a “false campaign on starvation in the Gaza Strip.”

“The photos emerging from Gaza are difficult, and they are part of this false campaign,” he claims.

“I want to be clear, there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip. We are operating according to international law, monitoring the situation every day, and acting accordingly,” Defrin says.

“We care about the nutrition of the residents of Gaza more than Hamas does. Hamas works intentionally to worsen the condition of the population. Hamas tries with all its might to sabotage the [GHF] aid distribution sites and the arrival of the aid to the Strip,” he adds.