Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Israel has claimed that there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip and that it is a false campaign promoted by Hamas.
Issuing a statement, the Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched a new round of humanitarian initiatives aimed at improving the situation in Gaza while continuing military operations against Hamas.
Citing directives from Israel’s political leadership, the embassy said the IDF has resumed airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The airdrops, carried out in coordination with international aid agencies, will include seven pallets of flour, sugar and canned food. The operation is led by the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF), it added.
In addition to the airdrops, Israel has introduced designated humanitarian corridors to facilitate the safe passage of UN aid convoys delivering food and medicine to civilians. According to the embassy, the IDF has also expressed its readiness to implement “humanitarian pauses” in densely populated areas.
According to the embassy, the IDF emphasizes that there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip. “This is a false campaign promoted by Hamas. Responsibility for food distribution to the population in Gaza lies with the UN and international aid organizations,” it said. “Therefore, the UN and international organizations are expected to improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and to ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas.”
Israel has also resumed power supply to a desalination plant in Gaza, boosting its capacity from 2,000 to 20,000 cubic metres of water per day. This increase is expected to benefit nearly 900,000 residents, it added.
