Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced internal opposition from religious nationalist and settler group leaders within his coalition government.
They protested his decision to permit the entry of two fuel trucks daily into Gaza. This decision, seen as a response to mounting pressure from the U.S. and international community, sparked demands from these coalition members for greater influence in war-related decisions.
They argued against any humanitarian aid to Gaza, including limited fuel supplies, insisting that such aid should be withheld until Hamas releases the 240 Israelis captured on October 7 during an assault in southern Israel, which, according to Israeli officials, resulted in at least 1,200 deaths.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, representing the far-right settlers, called for the war cabinet, led by Netanyahu, to be expanded to include representatives from all seven coalition parties. He criticized the decision to allow fuel into Gaza as a serious error.
Netanyahu is also under pressure from Western allies to moderate Israeli military actions, which have led to approximately 11,500 Palestinian deaths in 42 days, a figure contested by some Israeli officials.
Additionally, Netanyahu’s recent decision to temporarily halt aerial and ground attacks in northern Gaza, to allow civilians to evacuate, came after pressure from the Biden administration. This decision, too, was met with criticism from the religious nationalist and settler leaders within his coalition.
The discord over the fuel concession underscores Netanyahu’s challenging position of balancing the demands of the far-right factions in his government against those of Western allies advocating for the welfare of Gaza’s civilians. Gaza, under an Israeli blockade since 2007 when Hamas took control from Fatah, has depended on humanitarian aid, including fuel for essential services.
Israeli officials stated that allowing minimal fuel was intended as a gesture to Western allies and to prevent the collapse of Gaza’s water and sewage systems, which could lead to disease outbreaks affecting both civilians and Israeli forces.
National Security Council Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi expressed concerns about a potential plague outbreak necessitating a halt to military operations.
However, Itamar Ben Gvir, overseeing Israel’s police forces, opposed this view, arguing that humanitarian concessions should not be made while the Israeli hostages remain without Red Cross visits.
He asserted that permitting fuel portrays Israeli weakness, benefits Hamas, and allows its leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, to maintain a comfortable stance while manipulating Israeli society and affecting the families of the hostages.
