Cabinet wants a pause in fighting for humanitarian aid to Gaza

According to the White House, the US is ‘very closely involved’ in the release of hostages

The United States was “very closely involved.” the release of the hostage American mother and daughter Friday by Hamas, White House spokesman John Kirby said CNN. He said Qatar and Israel played key roles and the US was “very closely involved at various levels.”

Kirby declined to say what Hamas’ motives were for releasing the two. “Also because there are still Americans being held hostage and we would like to return them to their families.” Hamas says it acted from a “humanitarian point of view.” The mother is said to be in poor health. Israel says the release is the result of “military pressure” on Hamas.

US President Joe Biden said on Friday evening that he was “overjoyed” that 59-year-old Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie are free again. They are from Chicago and were visiting family in southern Israel.

They were the first hostages to be released since Hamas kidnapped about two hundred people in the massacre in Israel two weeks ago. Israeli soldiers said Friday that the majority of them are still alive.

After the release, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on social media that he would “not diminish efforts to retrieve all abducted and missing persons” and at the same time “continue to fight until victory is achieved.”

Cabinet wants a pause in fighting for humanitarian aid to Gaza

Outgoing Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren (D66) advocates this a battle pause between Israel and Hamas to enable humanitarian aid to Gaza. “The humanitarian situation requires some rest,” she said in the TV program on Friday evening News hour. Ollongren emphasized that the cabinet is on the same page and speaks with one voice.

The more than two million residents of the Gaza Strip are in urgent need of water, food and medicine. Israel cut off water and electricity to the area after Hamas terror attacks two weeks ago.

According to Ollongren, the outgoing cabinet must “relate” to the “humanitarian catastrophe” in the Gaza Strip and access for humanitarian aid is almost impossible without a ceasefire. “You cannot deny people water and food.” She hopes that aid organizations such as the Red Cross can get to work in the Gaza Strip if the warring parties lay down their arms, temporarily or otherwise.

Ollongren does maintain Israel’s right to self-defense: “It does not detract from the support for Israel and the condemnation of Hamas.” Shortly after Hamas’s attack on Israel, Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) said that the Netherlands supports Israel “unconditionally”, but he has now added that Israel must comply with international laws of war.