Facts vs. Fiction: COGAT Sets the Record Straight on the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

Amidst a relentless war against Hamas, a parallel battle is being waged—a battle of information, where claims of starvation and famine are used as weapons. In a recent FIDF Live Briefing, Colonel Yotam Shefer, Head of the International Relations Branch for COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), provided a definitive, fact-based account that dismantles the propaganda and reveals the truth about the massive humanitarian operation underway in Gaza.

Debunking the “Starvation” Myth

Col. Shefer directly confronted and rejected the claims of famine in Gaza, calling them personally offensive to the 1,000 members of his unit who work day and night to facilitate aid. He provided clear evidence to counter the misinformation:

• Piles of Aid Waiting: At any given time, the Kerem Shalom crossing has “piles of pallets of aid waiting to be collected” on the Gaza side—aid that has already been inspected and approved. “Starvation is an intentional action to prevent food from reaching people,” Shefer stated, “and the reality is exactly the opposite. We’ve been pushing aid to go in and to be collected.”
• Deceptive Propaganda: Heartbreaking images of emaciated children are often cynically exploited. COGAT has investigated numerous such cases and found the children were suffering from pre-existing genetic diseases, not starvation. Shefer posed a critical question: “If there was famine in Gaza, why would they have to take a child that is suffering from a genetic disease and portray his pictures?”
• Flawed Reporting: International reports, like the recent one from the IPC, are based on completely unreliable, Hamas-controlled sources, including the Gaza Ministry of Health and UNRWA. Furthermore, the UN often underreports the volume of aid, counting only its own trucks while ignoring vast contributions from state actors and other NGOs. In one recent three-month period, the UN reported roughly 3,000 trucks had entered Gaza, when the actual number was closer to 9,000.

A Massive and Complex Humanitarian Ecosystem

The humanitarian effort in Gaza is an immense and challenging undertaking, coordinated by COGAT in an active combat zone. Far from being a solely Israeli operation, it is a complex “humanitarian ecosystem” involving numerous partners.

• Daily Aid Flow: Approximately 300-350 trucks of aid enter Gaza every single day through land, air, and sea corridors. This aid includes food, medical supplies, and shelter equipment.
• Global Partners: COGAT coordinates with nearly 20 different UN agencies (like the World Food Program and WHO), dozens of international NGOs (including American organizations such as World Central Kitchen), regional countries like Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE, and the United States.
• Maintaining Infrastructure: The effort goes beyond delivering food. COGAT works directly with local, legitimate Palestinian companies to repair and maintain essential infrastructure like water, electricity, and telecommunication networks—the very services that allow Gazans to post on social media.

Protecting Civilians in a War Zone

The Israel Defense Forces war is with Hamas, not the people of Gaza. COGAT and the IDF go to great lengths to separate the civilian population from active combat zones, a task made incredibly difficult by Hamas’s strategy of embedding itself within hospitals, schools, and mosques. When an area must be evacuated for civilian safety, the Israel Defense Forces uses multiple channels to issue warnings, including text messages, airdropped leaflets, and direct phone calls. Simultaneously, COGAT works with its partners to ensure the designated safe zones are equipped with the necessary humanitarian infrastructure, including more than 10 field hospitals, to care for the displaced population.

The War Israel Never Wanted

Col. Shefer concluded with a powerful reminder of the vision Israel had for Gaza before October 7th. COGAT was actively working on plans to nearly double the number of Gazan work permits in Israel and was advancing mega-projects for desalination plants, natural gas pipelines, and joint industrial zones. “That was our state of mind,” he said. “We didn’t choose this war.”

The soldiers of COGAT are on the front lines of a different kind of battle, fighting to uphold humanitarian values while their brothers-in-arms fight to dismantle a terrorist regime. Their work is a testament to the moral fabric of the Israel Defense Forces. As we support all the soldiers who protect Israel, let us also recognize and honor those engaged in this complex, challenging, and profoundly important humanitarian mission.