aid flows

More aid trucks expected to roll into Gaza

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More aid trucks expected to roll into Gaza

Israel allowed around 200 aid trucks into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, bypassing the blocked Rafah crossing. The aid shipments were agreed upon between U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Israel is facing pressure to provide more aid to Gaza after months of conflict causing destruction and hunger. The Rafah crossing has been closed for almost three weeks, with Egypt refusing to open its side. Israel has opened new crossing points and is cooperating with the United States to distribute supplies. Israeli strikes in Rafah have killed at least five Palestinians, with ongoing operations to root out Hamas fighters and rescue hostages. Efforts to agree on a ceasefire and return hostages have been ongoing, with some movement after meetings between Israeli and U.S. intelligence officials and the prime minister of Qatar. Hamas demands the complete and permanent end of aggression in all of Gaza, not just Rafah. Israel insists the war will not end until Hamas is eliminated.

Israeli tanks push back in northern Gaza, warplanes hit Rafah, say residents

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Israeli tanks push back in northern Gaza, warplanes hit Rafah, say residents

Israeli tanks re-entered parts of northern Gaza and carried out air strikes on Rafah, killing and injuring several people. Tanks surrounded schools where displaced families were seeking refuge, ordering evacuations and detaining men. The Israeli military continued operations in central Gaza, targeting gunmen and destroying terrorist infrastructure. Israel is still imposing restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza, despite some claims of increased aid flows. The Palestinian health ministry reported over 33,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since October.

Israel says more aid is entering Gaza, but figures disputed

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Israel says more aid is entering Gaza, but figures disputed

Israel is increasing aid flow into Gaza in response to international pressure, but the amount is still disputed. The United Nations states that the aid is much less than what is needed to meet humanitarian needs. Israel reported 419 trucks entering Gaza on Monday, while the Red Crescent and the United Nations reported lower figures due to Israeli inspection rules. The devastated Palestinian enclave is facing famine and disease, with most inhabitants homeless. Aid agencies criticize Israel for not ensuring enough access for humanitarian supplies. Israel denies hindering aid and blames the United Nations for delays. The international community, including the United States and France, is pressuring Israel to increase aid access. Israel has agreed to open crossings for aid supplies but distribution inside Gaza remains a challenge. UNRWA reports that only 223 trucks entered Gaza on Monday, less than half of what is required daily. Distribution problems persist inside Gaza, with food convoys to the north facing more restrictions than other humanitarian aid. Israel’s military has not responded to accusations of restricting aid convoys inside Gaza.

Blinken pushes for more aid for Gaza in talks with Israel’s Netanyahu

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Blinken pushes for more aid for Gaza in talks with Israel’s Netanyahu

– U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss aid flow into Gaza amid tense relations due to the six-month-old war.
– Israel claimed to have killed or captured hundreds of Hamas fighters in a five-day operation at the Al Shifa hospital complex in Gaza, which Hamas and medical staff deny.
– Blinken has been engaging in diplomacy in the Middle East, including meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and officials in Cairo, aiming for a ceasefire.
– U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “over the top” due to its toll on civilian lives.
– The war started with a Hamas raid into southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking 253 hostages. Over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardments.
– Blinken emphasized the need for increased and sustained aid deliveries to Gaza, where the entire population faces severe food insecurity.
– Israeli Colonel Moshe Tetro denied food shortages in Gaza, claiming sufficient food enters daily.
– Discussions include Israel’s intention to launch a ground offensive on Rafah, with Washington objecting to the plan.
– An airstrike on a house in Al-Naser, east of Rafah, killed eight people, including a family with five children.
– Senior Israeli and U.S. officials are set to meet in Washington to discuss alternatives to a full-on assault on Hamas.
– Talks in Qatar focus on a proposal for a six-week halt to fighting, exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
– Israel aims to eradicate Hamas, while Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and Israeli troop withdrawal.
– Israeli troops claim to have killed or detained hundreds in the Al Shifa hospital, including senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, though Hamas denies fighters were in the compound.