Israel ‘fully endorses’ US plan to provide aid in Gaza

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Sunday that Israel fully endorses U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza aid.

Trump recently repeated a U.S. pledge to help get food to Palestinians in Gaza. A U.S.-backed mechanism for getting aid into Gaza should take effect soon, Washington's envoy to Israel also said on Friday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says Israel “fully endorses” a recently announced US-initiated plan for providing aid to the Gaza Strip.

“Israel fully endorses the Trump administration’s plan, presented on Friday by US Ambassador to Israel Mr. Mike Huckabee,” says Sa’ar at a joint press conference with Germany’s new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul in Jerusalem.

This weekend, ahead of US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East this week, Washington’s envoy to Israel said that a US-backed mechanism for distributing aid into Gaza should take effect soon, without giving many details.

“Humanitarian aid will be facilitated by a private fund — based on the principles laid out by the US administration. It will enable aid to go directly to the people. Hamas must not be allowed to get their hands on it,” Sa’ar continues.

“During the war, Israel allowed humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, and facilitated it. But Hamas stole that aid from the people and earned its money from it… Therefore we will stop making these efforts in a manner that Hamas could use because it undermines Israel’s objectives in this just war,” says Sa’ar.

“IDF soldiers will not allocate aid — they will secure the perimeter. This plan allows for aid to flow based on international humanitarian law and its principles, which we are committed to,” says Sa’ar, adding that Israel “would like to cooperate with as many countries and NGOs as possible on the matter.”

Wadephul commends Israel’s decision, telling Sa’ar that “I welcome your announcement today to support US efforts” to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“If this path ensures adequate humanitarian care, then the German government will support it. We are open to this approach, and I will be discussing it with the United Nations — especially with Secretary-General [Antonio] Guterres — this Tuesday in Berlin,” says Wadephul.

Officials familiar with the plan have told The Times of Israel that the Israeli government and military have been heavily involved in putting together its details, even though a new international organization — the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — will be managing the initiative and the Israel Defense Forces won’t be distributing the aid.

The United Arab Emirates has rejected an Israeli request to bankroll the new initiative, saying it fails to address the humanitarian crisis in the Strip.