Israel’s establishment of humanitarian aid hubs is being seen as a pivotal moment in the unraveling of Hamas’s dominance in Gaza, according to an Israeli official who spoke with The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The IDF has unveiled two major food distribution centers, which are intended to provide sustenance for as many as 600,000 Palestinians within a week.
These aid centers are positioned at Tel Sultan, located deep in the southern Gaza area of Rafah, and at the Morag Corridor, slightly to the north of Rafah.
Plans are underway to launch a third site near Khan Yunis in the mid-southern region and a fourth one in central Gaza. However, it remains uncertain whether these additional locations will open in the coming days or if it will take several weeks.
Officials told The Post that while the aid centers are expected to quickly scale up their distribution capabilities, no firm timetable has been established for when they will hit peak operational capacity.
For now, no similar aid facility is planned for northern Gaza. As a result, approximately one million Palestinians in that region will continue receiving assistance from United Nations agencies, as has been the case in recent days and for much of the ongoing conflict.
According to the sources, while Israel is instituting new protocols to prevent Hamas from hijacking food supplies in northern Gaza, the central goal of the four new centers in the south and center is to loosen Hamas’s grip on humanitarian aid—something Israel believes international groups, including the UN, have failed to address meaningfully.
Management of the food aid initiative will be overseen by American firms UG Solutions and Safe Reach Solutions under a newly organized humanitarian body for Gaza.
Still, the project has not been without internal turmoil. Several high-ranking members of this new authority have stepped down recently, citing outside pressure from global organizations that view these efforts as a means for Israel to exert control over food distribution and to potentially exclude civilians affiliated with Hamas.
The handling of northern Gaza may also be partially shaped by diplomatic considerations. Israel’s decision to avoid setting up centers there could appease critics who argue it’s unlawful to withhold food from certain sectors of the population—even those with ties to terrorist groups like Hamas.
International agencies and human rights groups denounce Hamas’s actions but have consistently refused to implement restrictions on who is eligible to receive humanitarian aid.
In contrast, the newly established centers will integrate security screening processes from both Israel and the U.S., which could lead to the apprehension of armed individuals or those suspected of being linked to Hamas.
Another strategic element of placing these centers outside the northern region is to fragment Gaza territorially—creating zones that are increasingly free of Hamas’s influence, even if other parts remain under its control.
These developments coincide with the deepening military offensive, as five IDF divisions have recently advanced further into the Strip.
The IDF has stated that this current phase, which includes securing up to 75% of Gaza and embedding the new aid framework into the area’s fabric, could unfold over roughly two months. The ultimate aim is to significantly erode Hamas’s dominance over the civilian population.
{Matzav.com}