Isarel says it allowed aid flow in Gaza to avoid sanctions

Tel Aviv [Israel], July 27 : Israel's Energy Minister Eli Cohen said that the decision to boost humanitarian aid into Israel was made in part in order to avoid European sanctions, The Times of Israel reported.

"Hamas wants to reach a situation where there will be decisions made against the State of Israel on the international stage, to reach a goal that the war will end and it will continue to exist," Cohen said in an interview with Kan's Reshet Bet radio, adding that Israel "did not fall into this trap."

https://x.com/IDF/status/1949348801870791004

Cohen, who previously served as foreign minister, said that "the Foreign Ministry held meetings with their counterparts in Europe, and in order to prevent European sanctions on Israel, it was decided to advance these steps," including approving a new water pipeline, as per The Times of Isarel.

A meeting of EU foreign ministers earlier this month decided against adopting punitive measures against Israel but demanded "more concrete steps" in boosting aid to the Strip to avoid any further diplomatic sanctions.

Twelve Palestinians in Gaza have been reported killed near an aid distribution center south of Gaza City, The Times of Israel reported.

The Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat announced that it has received 12 bodies, including four children, and over 100 people who were injured following an IDF attack near an aid distribution center south of Gaza City along the Netzarim corridor.

The facility is believed to be a distribution center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. It is unclear from the reports whether the fire involved an airstrike, shelling or small arms fire.

The military announced earlier on Sunday that will be implementing humanitarian pasues from 10 am till 8 pm in areas where the IDF is currently not operating with ground troops, including al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City.

Meanwhile, a soldier was seriously wounded in an elevator collapse at the military's Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv earlier on Sunday, the IDF announced, as per The Times of Israel.

The circumstances of the accident are under investigation by the Military Police, the IDF said. The findings of the Military Police probe will be sent to the Military Advocate General for review.

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