Politics Israel's enemies continue to exert pressure on all fronts

While preparations are underway in the Gaza Strip for a mass vaccination of children against the polio virus, the Israeli armed forces are continuing to fight on other fronts.

Following renewed shelling from Lebanon, the air force attacked a number of launchers belonging to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in the south of the neighboring country, the army announced last night. In the occupied West Bank, two Palestinian "terrorists" were also killed during the night in two attacks on the settlement of Karmei Tzur.

A car exploded at a petrol station near the Israeli settlement. The soldiers who rushed to the scene had "eliminated" a terrorist who had previously driven the vehicle there and tried to attack the security forces, the military added. Three soldiers were slightly injured. In a further incident, a terrorist used his car to force his way into the settlement. A member of the security team then drove his own car into the attacker's car and killed the man. Shortly afterwards, a bomb exploded in the attacker's car, it was reported.

The situation in the West Bank has worsened significantly since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip following the massacre by the Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023. Since the start of a large-scale military operation in the north a few days ago, the Israeli army says it has killed 20 Palestinian militants so far. Meanwhile, an end to the war in Gaza is still not in sight. In the indirect negotiations on a ceasefire, Israel's demand for permanent control of the so-called Philadelphi Corridor in southern Gaza on the border with Egypt remains one of the main points of contention.

War of words between Netanyahu and Galant

During a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, there was a heated exchange of words between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Galant on the issue, according to media reports. Galant accused Netanyahu of prioritizing the deployment of soldiers in the border area over the liberation of Israeli hostages, according to Channel 12 and the portal "ynet".

At the meeting on Friday night, Netanyahu presented several maps showing how Israel intends to station its troops along the Philadelphi Corridor. Galant lost his temper and accused Netanyahu of imposing the maps on the committee, according to reports. In response, Netanyahu is said to have hit the table, accused Galant of lying and put the maps to a vote. "The prime minister can make all the decisions. He can also decide to kill all the hostages," Galant is said to have replied.

Preparations for polio vaccinations in full swing

In the end, a large majority at the meeting voted in favor of Netanyahu's position to maintain control of the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Netanyahu insists on control of the corridor in order to prevent weapons being smuggled into Gaza through underground tunnels. Egypt denies the existence of such smuggling routes. Meanwhile, vaccinations against polio are due to start in the war zone on Sunday.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all sides have made "provisional commitments to so-called area-specific humanitarian pauses". This refers to limited ceasefires. After the first case of polio in 25 years was recently reported in the Gaza Strip, the vaccination campaign against the polio virus is intended to prevent a massive outbreak of the highly contagious disease.

According to media reports, Netanyahu emphasized that the planned breaks in fighting for a few hours at a time on several days were not a ceasefire. The last time there was such a ceasefire was in November last year as part of a deal between the Israeli government and Hamas. During this week-long ceasefire, around 100 hostages were also released in return for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Another fatal incident involving an aid transport in Gaza

After shots were fired at a UN vehicle in the devastated coastal strip, there was another incident involving an aid transport. According to the Israeli army, several gunmen had taken control of a vehicle at the head of a convoy. They were then attacked by the Israeli military. Four Palestinians in the vehicle were killed, according to the aid organization Anera.

Israel's military did not comment on possible casualties. According to the army, soldiers had observed armed men getting into the vehicle of the Anera aid convoy coordinated with the military. The presence of the men who boarded the vehicle had not been coordinated with the authorities. According to the army, weapons were identified on them.

According to Anera, after the departure from the Kerem Shalom border crossing, four men, who had experience from previous missions of the dedicated transport company, contacted the aid organization and asked to take control of the vehicle. They considered the route to be unsafe and warned of the danger of looting. Anera emphasized that it had not checked the men.

Israel is already under international pressure because of another incident. According to UN reports, soldiers fired on a World Food Program (WFP) vehicle in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. No one was injured. Israel explained the incident with a communication error between its forces, said the American deputy UN ambassador Robert Wood. Aid workers have been killed several times since the beginning of the Gaza war almost eleven months ago.