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Netanyahu Believes Confrontation with Türkiye in Syria is 'Inevitable'

Israeli army tanks and a bulldozer drive through the Abu Diab military post on March 19, 2025, on the southern outskirts of the Syrian border town of Quneitra, which locals say had Russian forces' presence before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
Israeli army tanks and a bulldozer drive through the Abu Diab military post on March 19, 2025, on the southern outskirts of the Syrian border town of Quneitra, which locals say had Russian forces' presence before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
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Netanyahu Believes Confrontation with Türkiye in Syria is 'Inevitable'

Israeli army tanks and a bulldozer drive through the Abu Diab military post on March 19, 2025, on the southern outskirts of the Syrian border town of Quneitra, which locals say had Russian forces' presence before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
Israeli army tanks and a bulldozer drive through the Abu Diab military post on March 19, 2025, on the southern outskirts of the Syrian border town of Quneitra, which locals say had Russian forces' presence before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding security consultations to discuss concerns over Turkish influence in Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime, and is trying to portray a confrontation with Ankara as inevitable, Israeli security sources said.
The Hebrew website Walla, citing security sources, said Syria is holding contacts with Türkiye regarding the transfer of areas near Palmyra (central Syria) to the Turkish army in exchange for economic and military support for Damascus. This development sparked significant Israeli concerns, the sources said.
They noted that the new Syrian regime is working to restore military bases and enhance missile and defense capabilities in the south, near Israel.
Also, Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu, through his advisors, is pushing Israeli media to portray that “a confrontation with Türkiye on Syrian territory is inevitable.”
In January, a confidential Israeli government study group delivered a warning about the Türkiye-Syria alliance. The committee’s report urged Netanyahu to prepare for a potential war with Ankara in Syria.
Also, the Jerusalem Post said Israel must prepare for a direct confrontation with Türkiye, according to the Nagel Committee’s latest report on the defense budget and security strategy.
It noted that the committee, established by the Israeli government, warns that Ankara’s ambitions to restore its Ottoman-era influence could lead to heightened tensions with Israel, possibly escalating into conflict.
The report highlights the risk of Syrian factions aligning with Türkiye, creating a new and potent threat to Israel’s security.
“The threat from Syria could evolve into something even more dangerous than the Iranian threat,” the report states, warning that Turkish-backed forces might act as proxies, fueling regional instability.
Meanwhile, Syria TV said two members of the Syrian defense ministry's 42nd Division were injured in the Israeli airstrike that targeted the Palmyra military airport last Friday night.
Later, the channel reported that US helicopters flew at low altitudes over Deir Ezzor.
Last week, Syrian state news agency, SANA, said Israeli strikes on the southern Syria province of Deraa killed and wounded several civilians.

 

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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.