United Nations (UN) agencies have called for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza after 20 trucks carrying a shipment of aid reached the enclave through the Rafah crossing.
“We call for a humanitarian ceasefire, along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza to allow humanitarian actors to reach civilians in need, save lives and prevent further human suffering.
“Flows of humanitarian aid must be at scale and sustained, and allow all Gazans to preserve their dignity,” a joint statement from the UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO noted.
The aid trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is responsible for delivering aid from various UN agencies, Saturday passed into Gaza’s Rafah border crossing from Egypt.
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The move follows a visit to Israel by United States President Joe Biden, after which Washington announced that an agreement had been reached to let 20 trucks in through Egypt.
However, aid groups called the announcement “a drop in the ocean.”
Israel had opposed the entry of aid, saying no assistance would reach Hamas fighters.
Hamas’s media office noted in a statement on Saturday that the trucks “carry medicine, medical supplies, and a limited amount of food supplies (canned goods).”
Food and medicines are essential, but water and fuel are also desperately needed. More than one million internally displaced people across the Gaza Strip face a dire humanitarian situation, with little access to basic requirements.
Palestinians in the West Bank say the aid delivery is a “PR stunt” on the part of the international community to show it cares about civilians in Gaza, but that the quantities are not nearly enough to respond to the needs on the ground.
The executive director of the World Food Programme, Cindy McCain welcomed the passing into Gaza of the humanitarian convoy but warned that 20 trucks of aid isn’t enough.
Israel to increase attacks from Saturday night – Israeli military spokesperson
Despite calls for a ceasefire by various organisations, including the UN, the Israeli government has said it will intensify attacks on Gaza from Saturday night.
Israel says it plans to intensify its attacks on Gaza starting Saturday night, Reuters reports.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday in response to a question about a possible ground invasion into Gaza <https://www.theguardian.com/world/gaza>, the Israeli Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said, “We will deepen our attacks to minimise the dangers to our forces in the next stages of the war. We are going to increase the attacks from today.
“Reuters reports that Hagari repeated his calls for Gaza residents to evacuate south.”
Casualties on the rise in Gaza
The death toll in Gaza has risen to 4,137 people, including 1,756 children and 967 women. Another 13,561 people have been wounded. Seventy per cent of victims of Israeli attacks are children, women and the elderly, the health ministry said.
The ministry also said, seven hospitals and 25 health care centres are out of service for lack of fuel.
A large number of people are still under the rubble. About 1,400 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the Hamas attacks on October 7.
We’re in the heart of the battle – Hezbollah
Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, spoke at the funeral of a fighter. He said the armed group is “trying to weaken the Israeli enemy and let them know that we are ready,” according to The Associated Press.
He spoke as fighters in southern Lebanon and Israel’s army continued to exchange fire across the border, with Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem reporting while fighting has escalated, it remained geographically confined.
Observers of the conflict said Hezbollah appeared to be attempting to draw Israeli forces away from Gaza ahead of an expected land incursion.
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