Collapse of ceasefire talks surprised Israel’s leaders, scuttled plans for Gaza ‘humanitarian city’ – report

Israel’s radical and sudden shift to allow a much greater amount of humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip was rushed amid external pressure and derailed several projects the Israeli leadership had been planning for Gaza, Ynet News reported.

According to the Ynet military correspondent Yoav Zitun, the controversial plans to establish a “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza were effectively canned, while the future of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is in serious doubt.

Two weeks ago, Israel's political leadership and the IDF clashed over competing visions for a humanitarian encampment in Rafah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly pushed for its rapid construction to accommodate roughly half of Gaza’s population.

“There is no decision to move forward with it, and there is no alternative plan either,” a senior security source told Ynet.

The apparent collapse of the ceasefire talks, which preceded Israel’s policy shift, had already deemed the plan highly unlikely.

“The political echelon also believed it was heading toward a hostage deal that includes withdrawals from the corridors in the southern part of the Strip and therefore seems to have dropped the initiative. For now, it's on the shelf.”

In addition, the future of the aid distribution centers – previously set to be expanded by Israel – is now uncertain.

With the United Nations intensifying its distribution and Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and other countries air-dropping aid, the four distribution centers run by the GHF in southern Gaza are now failing to fulfill their main purpose: to disperse aid while preventing Hamas from stealing it.

The Israeli defense establishment reportedly still believes the distribution centers have been effective in depriving Hamas of revenue sources in the southern region.

However, a Ynet investigation revealed that plans to open four similar distribution centers in northern Gaza have now also been put on hold.

In addition, one of Hamas' key demands during ceasefire negotiations has been to shut down GHF completely. If talks are resurrected and a deal is reached, the GHF centers are likely to be permanently closed.

Another notable step announced by Israel is the implementation of “humanitarian ceasefires” in large parts of the Gaza Strip, without any reciprocal action by Hamas.

One reason for this move was to allow Gazan civilians to receive aid via airdrops and the overland deliveries, while avoiding renewed claims that IDF soldiers were firing weapons at large crowds gathering in or near active combat zones.

“The humanitarian ceasefires are only in non-combat zones, and we haven’t opened the Beit Hanoun routes for Gazan movement,” military sources told Ynet.

“They’ll be allowed to move only in non-fortified areas (i.e., most of the Gaza Strip), to receive medical treatment and collect food. It’s another declarative step to convince the world that there is no famine in the Strip. We already did this at the beginning of the war.”

Sources said the Israeli military was stunned by the developments of the past weeks, as Hamas' propaganda campaign alleging widespread starvation in Gaza grabbed global headlines.

“It no longer matters what the truth is, but what you say and how the world perceives it. We’ve suffered immense damage. The problem is that most of our decisions are made at the last minute and hastily, instead of initiating and planning such moves in advance, convincing the right people in the world, and preemptively avoiding such a crisis against Israel,” a source stated.