Netanyahu, Katz Order IDF to Prevent Hamas Seizing Gaza Aid

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have ordered the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to develop an action plan within 48 hours to prevent Hamas from seizing humanitarian aid entering northern Gaza. This directive follows reports and video evidence showing Hamas militants commandeering aid trucks, diverting supplies intended for civilians. The Israeli government has suspended aid deliveries pending the plan's submission, responding also to internal political pressure including threats of resignation from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett criticized the current policy, highlighting that trucks are entering Gaza without proper inspections, effectively allowing Hamas to gain resources. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation have called on the United Nations to help create alternative delivery methods that bypass Hamas to ensure aid reaches civilians. These developments occur amid ongoing tensions and a near three-month blockade that has severely restricted aid flow to Gaza, exacerbating humanitarian concerns.