Defense Minister Katz reaffirms decision to block aid transfers to Gaza

Tel Aviv [Israel], April 16 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Minister of Defense Israel Katz on Wednesday reaffirmed Israel's policy of preventing the transfer of aid to Gaza while Hamas continues to hold Israelis hostage there.

"Israel's policy is clear and no humanitarian aid is about to enter Gaza, and preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza is one of the main pressure tools that prevents Hamas from using this measure against the population, in addition to the other steps that Israel is taking - and it is a shame that there are those who try to mislead," said Katz.

"No one is prepared in the current reality to bring any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and no one is preparing to bring in any such aid," he added. "I emphasized that in relation to the future, the mechanism for using civil society must be built as a tool that will not allow Hamas access to the issue in the future." (ANI/TPS)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)