Education Minister Naftali Bennet, who is chairman of the Bayit Yehudi party, explained he oppose humanitarian aid to Gaza without making such aid contingent to the return of the return of captives by Hamas.

“In recent days there has been a lot of talk about humanitarian measures for the Gaza Strip,” said Bennet during a cabinet meeting. “You have to remember that there are our sons, both the bodies of soldiers and the citizens of Israel, who are in the hands of Hamas in Gaza.”

Bennett said he intends to promote a “humanitarian in exchange for humanitarian aid”, telling his fellow ministers “there are no free meals”, reminding them “on the other side is a cruel enemy waiting for sings of naiveté and free gifts from the other side. We don’t have to give gifts for nothing” he concluded.

The families of kidnapped soldier Hadar Goldin HY”D, who asked the ministers that Prime Minister Netanyahu promised them that they would not be able to carry out the humanitarian arrangements in Gaza without the return of the sons, That returning the soldiers from Gaza would be a precondition for any agreement related to Gaza and now expect him to meet this commitment.

“The Israeli government and its leader have the responsibility to make every humanitarian move conditional, and to return Hadar and Oron [Shachor HY”D] first.” The solution to the sons’ return Is a purely humanitarian matter, and this must be anchored in the face of all the international bodies promoting an aid agreement for Gaza.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)