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Kohavi Orders Acceleration of Plans to Attack Hamas, Islamic Jihad Rocket Stockpiles

Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
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Kohavi Orders Acceleration of Plans to Attack Hamas, Islamic Jihad Rocket Stockpiles

Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)

Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi has ordered the military to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Citing unnamed sources in the General Staff’s Planning Directorate, the Walla news site said that the plan is aimed at significantly reducing the ability of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to target Israel with rockets in the early stages of a future conflict in the Gaza Strip.

The two organizations are working to replenish their rocket supply following the 11-day fight in Gaza this May between Israel and the Palestinian factions in Gaza Strip.

Military officials acknowledged that due mostly to a lack of precise intelligence, the Israeli army was unable to destroy the lion’s share of the armed groups’ existing arsenals of rockets.

General Staff officers regarded intelligence on the various rocket stockpiles in the Gaza Strip as a major weakness, some defining it as a failure.

The May clash saw at least 4,000 rockets and mortar shells fired towards Israel.

The rockets represent a spearhead to the two movements in any conflict with Israel, succeeding in spreading fear among civilians and paralyzing normal life as the Iron Dome fails to intercept all missiles.

Israel says that Hamas uses civilians’ institutions and houses as locations to store and launch missiles from, but Hams denies this.

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UN Calls for Independent Probe into Civilians Harmed Trying to Get Food in Gaza

Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)
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UN Calls for Independent Probe into Civilians Harmed Trying to Get Food in Gaza

Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday slammed as "unacceptable" the deaths of Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza, a spokesman said, calling the loss of life in the territory "unthinkable".

"The Secretary-General continues to call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for the perpetrators to be held to account," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

"We are witnessing unthinkable loss of life in Gaza (and) the secretary-general condemns the loss of lives and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid," he said. "It is unacceptable civilians are risking and in several instances losing their lives just trying to get food."

At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, local health authorities said, in the third day of chaos and bloodshed to affect the aid operation.

A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross told Reuters that its field hospital in Rafah received 184 casualties, adding that 19 of those were declared dead upon arrival, and eight died of their wounds shortly after.

The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting.

The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles.

The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early on Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site".

However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies.

On Sunday, Palestinian and international officials reported that at least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured. On Monday, three more Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire.

The Israeli military has denied targeting civilians gathering for aid and called reports of deaths during Sunday’s distribution "fabrications" by Hamas.