Security Cabinet Endorses Limited Fuel Entry Into Gaza

By Yoni Weiss

The State Security Cabinet endorsed on Sunday the decision of the smaller war cabinet, complying with a United States request to permit a controlled inflow of fuel into the Gaza Strip.

During the approximately six-and-a-half-hour meeting, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Transport Minister Miri Regev opposed the decision. Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who recently joined the coalition, abstained from voting.

Consisting of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Minister Benny Gantz, the War Cabinet unanimously ratified the measure proposed jointly by the IDF and the Shin Bet.

The approved agreement allows the entry of fuel into Gaza for humanitarian purposes, aligning with the U.S. request for two daily diesel tanker shipments to aid the UN in supporting water and sewer infrastructure, as disclosed by an Israeli political source on Friday.

“This initiative aims, in part, to provide minimal support for water, sewage, and sanitation systems, preventing the outbreak of potential epidemics that could affect the entire region,” the source clarified previously.

The State Security Cabinet convened amidst dissent from hardline right-wing ministers following the smaller war cabinet’s approval of the fuel transfer. Smotrich expressed his dissatisfaction to Netanyahu via a letter, calling for a revised War Cabinet comprising the head of each faction in the coalition.

“Once again, crucial policy decisions are made within the War Cabinet, leading Israel astray. Without even a Red Cross visit to the hostages, offering ‘humanitarian gifts’ to the enemy makes no sense,” emphasized Ben-Gvir.