Dr. Saeed Shaheen: The plan to distribute aid through an international mechanism is "necessary and dubious," and Israel is exploiting it politically and for security purposes.

Talal Okal: This mechanism is extremely dangerous due to its humanitarian and political repercussions, and will keep the people of Gaza "permanent hostages" at the mercy of this aid.

Yasser Manna: This mechanism is not a "humanitarian rescue plan," but rather an attempt to redesign the occupation and transform the disaster into a manageable, not accountable, or solvable, situation.

Samah Khalifa: This plan, which is being promoted as a humanitarian initiative, may be a cover for strengthening Israeli control over the Gaza Strip and serving future projects.

Imad Moussa: An unprecedented step in the history of conflicts, it aims to advance the genocide project through "humanitarian hands" that serve Israel and evade international accountability.

Muhammad Joda: The new mechanism is not a humanitarian step, but rather a political one aimed at redrawing the map of influence in Gaza using both soft and hard tools.

Amid an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, widespread questions are being raised about a new mechanism being promoted for distributing humanitarian aid, under the supervision of donor countries and international institutions, and with direct Israeli oversight.

In separate interviews with Al-Quds, writers, political analysts, experts, and university professors say that while the plan appears to be an urgent need to save the lives of Gaza's residents, concerns are growing that it conceals political and security objectives behind the guise of humanitarian action.

They point out that this plan could become a tool for controlling and dominating the people of the Gaza Strip, particularly given the reported involvement of private security companies and Israeli military oversight of distribution points.

They warn that this initiative could be used to whitewash Israel's international image, while it continues to pursue its relentless military and aggressive policies. They point out that what appears to be an attempt to alleviate hunger is in reality "crisis management, not a solution," at a time when there is no real prospect of halting the aggression or reaching a just political settlement.

An important step, but...

Dr. Saeed Shaheen, a professor of political media at Hebron University, warns of the potential security and political dimensions of the mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid to the population of the Gaza Strip, which is reportedly being implemented through an international organization run by donor countries and charitable organizations, under direct Israeli supervision.

At the same time, Shaheen stresses the importance of this step in saving millions of lives amid the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe facing the Gaza Strip. It is necessary but questionable, as Israel could exploit it politically and for security reasons.

Shaheen explains that the new aid distribution mechanism is being promoted as requiring Palestinian civilians in Gaza to receive "one aid package per week, sufficient for seven days," under direct Israeli security supervision.

Shaheen says, "Although this plan carries 'extreme danger and sensitive security implications,' it represents a 'top priority' at the present time, given the hunger ravaging the bodies of nearly two million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, a result of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at 'bringing Palestinians to their knees through starvation and thirst.'"

Shaheen points out that there are legitimate concerns that these aid distribution points could become "security centers under humanitarian cover," used to track Palestinian resistance fighters. He emphasizes that Israel does not take any step without careful consideration and planning.

Shaheen adds, "Everything Israel does is governed by careful calculations to reap political, security, and military gains. Today, it seeks to undermine Hamas's authority through this move, as part of a long-term strategy."

Shaheen considers this plan, despite its ambiguity and danger, "a positive step at this time," given the urgent need to save the lives of civilians who have become hostages to hunger and siege, amid a war of extermination that has been ongoing for more than 17 months.

The priority is to stop the daily killing and genocide.

Shaheen stresses that the priority remains to stop the daily killing and genocide that Israel continues to commit against women, children, and men.

Shaheen believes that through this mechanism, Israel "achieves double benefits." On the one hand, it appears responsive to international pressure, which alleviates political and diplomatic pressure. On the other hand, it continues its military operations without interruption, exploiting the world's preoccupation with other crises in the region.

Shaheen explains that Israel is working to divert international attention from its crimes in Gaza by "fabricating regional security and political crises," such as its repeated strikes in Syria, its threats to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, and its continued aggression against Lebanon and Yemen, all with direct American support and backing.

"Israel believes this mechanism serves its interests entirely," Shaheen says, "and can halt it whenever it wants, as long as part of the international community shares its crime, while the other part is unable even to demand that it comply with international humanitarian law."

Famine in the Gaza Strip has reached catastrophic levels.

For his part, writer and political analyst Talal Okal believes that Israel's resort to a new mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, implemented under the supervision of donor countries, international cover, and Israeli oversight, is essentially aimed at easing mounting international pressure on it. The famine in the Gaza Strip has reached catastrophic levels, and images of hunger and disease have become clearly visible to global public opinion.

Awkal explains that this plan is inseparable from Israel's attempt to escalate pressure on Hamas and its popular base by deepening the chaos and division within Gazan society and demonstrating the inability of the movement's administrative institutions to meet the population's basic needs.

Okal points out that Israel seeks, through this mechanism, to implement a precise separation between those it classifies as "civilians not affiliated with resistance factions" and those it considers legitimate targets for its policy of strangulation and starvation. According to Okal, implementing this policy requires a "complex security database" that enables it to determine who is eligible to receive aid and who is not, according to Israeli standards. This constitutes direct interference in the social and demographic fabric of the Gaza Strip.

Humanitarian and political repercussions

Awkal describes this mechanism as "extremely dangerous," given its humanitarian and political repercussions. He asserts that it will keep Gaza's residents "permanent hostages" at the mercy of this aid, subjecting them to ongoing review processes aimed at examining their compliance with the standards set by Israel.

Okal believes that US support for this mechanism reflects the complexity of the political landscape and indicates the difficulty of reaching a ceasefire agreement in the near term. He asserts that these measures aim to force Hamas to submit to Israeli conditions without offering any guarantees that the aggression will cease, casting doubt on the movement's ability to yield to such pressure.

Israeli strategy for crisis management

In turn, writer and researcher on Israeli affairs, Yasser Manna, says that the new mechanism being promoted for distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip falls within the context of an Israeli strategy aimed at managing the crisis, not resolving it, and controlling the Palestinian population under a semblance of humanitarianism that conceals deeper political and security objectives.

Manaa explains that this mechanism, which will be implemented through an international organization under the supervision of donor countries and a private American security company, and in direct coordination with the Israeli military, which will secure the perimeters of the distribution points, represents a dangerous shift in the nature of dealing with the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

Manaa says, "What appears to be a humanitarian step in form is, in reality, a war-making operation using civilian tools, excluding Palestinian actors and subjecting the population to the logic of humanitarian management under security control."

Manaa points out that the new mechanism is inseparable from the logic of the occupation, which seeks indirect control over the population of the Gaza Strip. He emphasizes that transforming aid into an external institutional project, entirely managed from outside the local environment, reinforces an Israeli vision that views the Gazans as a mere "logistical file" to be temporarily contained, rather than as a people who must be saved and empowered to exercise their rights.

Perpetuating the state of human collapse

Manaa asserts that this move aims to contain the famine in Gaza without halting the aggression or reaching a genuine political settlement, as part of a broader Israeli strategy that seeks to "perpetuate the state of humanitarian collapse" and prevent a popular explosion or escalation of international pressure by providing "domesticated humanitarian housing" that is completely subject to Israeli political and military oversight.

Manaa explains that the goal of the United States' support for this mechanism is not limited to the apparent mitigation of the disaster, but rather falls within an attempt to restore the morally collapsed American role in the eyes of international public opinion, by presenting an institutional model that appears "neutral," while actually serving the existing Israeli strategy.

Manaa warns that any potential success of this plan would be "technical only," noting that the regularity of shipments, the clarity of distribution points, and the coordination of operations do not negate the fact that they are taking place within a colonial system that continues to conduct bombing, control border crossings, and prevent reconstruction. This makes talk of a "humanitarian success" an attempt to normalize the disaster and prolong the war.

Manaa asserts that this mechanism "is not a humanitarian rescue plan, but rather an attempt to redesign the occupation and transform the disaster into a manageable situation, not amenable to accountability or resolution." He emphasizes that what is happening is "managing hunger, not ending it; controlling the population, not protecting it; and perpetuating the war, not stopping it."

The plan conceals political and strategic objectives.

For her part, writer and political analyst Samah Khalifa asserts that the pressure exerted by US President Donald Trump on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a plan to distribute humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip conceals political and strategic objectives aimed at improving the international image of both Trump and Israel, while violations against Palestinian civilians continue.

Khalifa points out that this plan, which is being promoted as a humanitarian initiative, may be a cover for strengthening Israeli control over the Strip and serving future projects.

According to Khalifa, the Israeli military continues to target civilians in Gaza, claiming they are Hamas members, without providing convincing evidence.

Khalifa cites incidents such as the targeting of a group of unarmed young men while they were drinking tea, asserting that Israel no longer cares about justifying its killings, raising questions about how it can ensure the protection of civilians during aid distribution.

Khalifa asks, "How many people will be killed on suspicion of belonging to Hamas while traveling to receive aid?" Especially given that many Palestinians have lost their identity documents as a result of the war.

Khalifa criticizes the proposed aid distribution plan, noting that Israel may use extensive back-and-forth inspections of civilians to ensure "that aid is not duplicated" or to ensure the absence of Hamas members, which would exacerbate the suffering of the population.

Khalifa points out that Israel's insistence on preventing aid from reaching Hamas means depriving Israeli prisoners held by the movement of food and medical care, potentially leading to their death from starvation.

Khalifa asserts that this situation contradicts Hamas's goal of preserving the lives of prisoners for use in prisoner exchange negotiations, which could lead the movement to abandon them to their inevitable fate.

Fear of placing tracking devices inside aid

Khalifa warns that Israel's commitment to funding engineering work to build infrastructure for aid distribution could be a step toward preparing the Strip for complete control, paving the way for future settlement or economic projects.

Khalifa points to the possibility that Israel is using tracking devices in aid to monitor civilians and detect Hamas locations, raising doubts about the plan's true intentions.

Khalifa believes that Trump, through this plan, is seeking to polish his image as a "man of peace" with his voters, despite his failure to fulfill his previous promises to stop wars and support oppressed peoples.

Khalifa asserts that Israel is exploiting this media initiative to portray itself as a humanitarian state fighting "terrorism," while ignoring the tragic situation in Gaza, where famine and disease are spreading due to the lack of medical care.

Khalifa warns that the health and environmental situation in the Gaza Strip portends a catastrophe, noting that Israel's goal is not to save civilians, but rather to prevent the international community from becoming angry.

"Israel wants civilians to die quietly without causing environmental problems," Khalifa says, emphasizing that starvation will not eliminate Hamas, which does not rely on such aid, and that international cooperation in establishing distribution points may be part of a broader plan to strengthen Israeli control over Gaza.

Israel seeks to polish its humanitarian image

Writer and political analyst Imad Musa says that the Israeli occupation government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, continues its genocidal crimes in the Gaza Strip, while ostensibly seeking to polish its humanitarian image through alleged aid distribution plans.

Musa believes that the aid distribution move is unprecedented in the history of conflicts, aiming to advance the genocide project through "humanitarian hands," while achieving strategic goals that serve Israel and avoid international accountability.

According to Musa, Israel is pursuing a deliberate strategy with three main objectives: prolonging the starvation of Gaza's population by controlling the flow of aid, thus exacerbating the humanitarian crisis; holding the international community or Palestinian parties responsible for any delays in funding or disruptions in aid delivery, thus portraying Israel as a party seeking humanitarian solutions; and absolving itself of moral and legal responsibility for violations through a "victim-blaming" strategy.

Musa warns that Israel may fabricate incidents that it blames on the Palestinians, such as accusing Palestinian parties of responsibility for casualties, to appear to be adhering to the laws of war and avoid international accountability.

Musa describes this plan as a "miserable attempt" to conceal the genocide project, noting that it is the product of an internal debate among members of Netanyahu's government to find a way out that preserves Israel's strategic objectives from the war.

Excluding Egypt from any effective role in managing the crisis

Moussa asserts that the plan's success or failure depends on the international stance, particularly Egypt's, as Israel seeks to exclude Egypt from any effective role in managing the crisis, with the goal of monopolizing the Gaza Strip and strengthening its control over it.

Moussa calls on Egypt to counter this plan by exerting pressure to ensure unfettered access to aid and exposing the true intentions behind Israel's actions, to prevent it from achieving its political and military objectives under the guise of humanitarian action.

Musa asserts that this move reflects a recurring Israeli approach to the conflict, which relies on manipulating the media narrative to portray Israel as a humanitarian state while continuing its aggressive policies.

Musa points out that Israel's continued obstruction of aid and restrictions on civilian movement exposes the falsity of humanitarian claims, warning that the primary goal is to prepare the Gaza Strip for future projects that serve the occupation's agenda.

Reengineering control of the sector

For his part, writer and political analyst Mohammed Joda warns against the new mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, which comes amid an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Hunger has reached dangerous levels, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents, he notes, noting that there are numerous caveats to address.

Joudeh believes that this mechanism, despite its humanitarian appearance, raises serious doubts about its true objectives, warning that it may be part of a broader strategy to reengineer control of the Gaza Strip under a humanitarian guise.

Joudeh explains that the proposed mechanism, which includes indirect Israeli oversight and the participation of a private American security company, appears on the surface to be a response to urgent humanitarian needs.

Joudeh warns that this framework could turn aid distribution points into tools for surveillance and control, and potentially exploit humanitarian needs to achieve political and security objectives.

Joudeh points out that allocating a single aid package per week does not match the scale of the humanitarian disaster, as the Strip suffers from a complete collapse of infrastructure and the absence of a health system, exacerbating famine and threatening the lives of the population.

Joudeh asserts that the mechanism's stated goal is to regulate aid distribution and ensure its delivery to civilians, but the reality reveals deeper objectives.

A systematic campaign to undermine UNRWA's role

Joudeh believes this move comes within the context of a systematic campaign to undermine the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and local organizations, following repeated accusations that UNRWA cooperates with Hamas.

Joudeh believes that this new mechanism aims to impose new facts on the ground that diminish the role of the Palestinian resistance and deepen the political and geographic divisions in the Gaza Strip, while Israel and the United States seek to portray themselves as "saviors" to the international community.

Joda points out that the success of this mechanism depends on several factors, including Gaza residents' acceptance of it, the effectiveness of distribution, and continued funding.

Joudeh believes that the loss of trust in Israel and private security companies makes it unlikely that the mechanism will achieve sustainable success or constitute a real solution to the crisis.

Joudeh points out that the Israeli-American move does not come in a vacuum, but rather falls within a strategy aimed at "privatizing" humanitarian aid and linking it to a security and political vision, rather than a neutral humanitarian approach.

Joudeh explains that the political objectives of this mechanism go beyond simply delivering aid. It seeks to reshape humanitarian governance in Gaza away from Hamas and UNRWA, weakening any manifestations of local sovereignty or national representation. It also aims to normalize an indirect security presence through an American company, potentially paving the way for international or partial administration of the Strip.

The chances of success of this mechanism seem weak.

Joudeh points out that this mechanism also seeks to ease international pressure on Israel by demonstrating "seriousness" in delivering aid, while maintaining control on the ground and politically.

Joudeh warns that the chances of this mechanism's success in the medium and long term appear slim for several reasons, most notably the lack of popular trust in the parties overseeing it, particularly given that it is being overseen by Israel, the country responsible for the blockade and destruction.

Joudah points to the potential for escalating security tensions around distribution points if aid is linked to monitoring or selection procedures.

Joudeh believes that the complexities of financing and operation, along with potential opposition from international and UN bodies, could hinder the plan's implementation. He noted that Palestinian parties, led by Hamas, will not accept this mechanism as a fait accompli, given its sovereign dimension.

Joudeh asserts that the new mechanism is not merely a humanitarian step, but rather a political one par excellence, aiming to redraw the map of influence in Gaza using both soft and hard tools.

Despite potential international support and funding, Joudeh believes that popular and national rejection could thwart this plan or render it meaningless unless it is part of a comprehensive and just political solution that ends the occupation and addresses the roots of the crisis rather than merely treating its symptoms.