Israel to Open Erez Crossing, Ashdod Port for Gaza Aid

Facts

• Following a call between US Pres. Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, Israel said it would open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza and temporarily begin using the nearby port of Ashdod to facilitate aid deliveries to the strip.¹
• Israel has faced sharp criticism, including from the US, after its forces killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers on Monday as they were traveling through Gaza. On Friday, the Israeli military said it had dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for their part in the deadly strikes.²
• The WCK called the Israeli government's disciplinary actions 'important steps forward,' though it added, 'Without systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies and more grieving families.'²
• After being asked if he had threatened Israel with cutting off military aid if it didn't take steps to protect civilians and humanitarian aid workers, Biden said he 'asked them to do what they're doing.'³
• Following Israel's announcement to open aid routes into Gaza, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution calling for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the strip.⁴
• Meanwhile, negotiations between Israel and Hamas stalled again this week, with Hamas claiming that a cease-fire proposal forwarded by Egypt was 'a continuation of the stubborn Israeli position.' Netanyahu has said that Israel is committed to the negotiations, though his office reportedly declined to comment on previous statements on Thursday.⁵

Sources: ¹Reuters (a), ²Associated Press, ³New York Times, ⁴Guardian and ⁵Reuters (b).

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CNN. Israel's war against Hamas is undoubtedly just, given the atrocities the group committed during its Oct. 7 attack. However, the Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence. Israel must take into account the innocent civilians in Gaza who are trapped between the country's military machine and Hamas' terrorist fighters. Indeed, the humanitarian situation has reached the point where the US is willing to take more decisive action to ensure that Netanyahu follows his commitments.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Tablet Magazine. Though this has been a tragic war, Israel and its allies must not succumb to pro-Hamas fanatics. Unfortunately, it seems that Biden has calculated that, to try and salvage his political career, he must throw Israelis under the bus. Regardless of how much Biden may say he supports Israel, the reality is that the president wants to force Israel to concede to terrorists. The world has forgotten the atrocities Hamas committed on Oct. 7 and Israel's moral duty to protect its citizens.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. The Biden administration, increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to cheap tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal war on Gaza. Regardless of the spin, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Of course, pressuring Israel to open more crossing into Gaza is an improvement, but it's far too little and far too late. Biden must do more to end the man-made famine that Israel has created.

Predictions