Humanitarian aid could be allowed into war-torn Gaza from Friday, under a new deal secured by Egypt, Israel and the US.
President Joe Biden unveiled the deal on Wednesday, announcing that limited humanitarian aid would be able to enter Gaza this week. He said that an initial convoy of 20 trucks would be permitted to cross the Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza from Friday to deliver food, water and other supplies following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Tel Aviv.
Mr Biden said he had spoken to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and had agreed in a phone call to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. In a statement on Wednesday, the Egyptian presidency said aid would be delivered “in a sustainable manner.”
Biden said that while Egypt’s president had agreed to open the crossing to provide aid, if Hamas confiscates the aid, “it will end.” According to the head of the Red Crescent for North Sinai, Khalid Zayed, more than 200 trucks and up to 3,000 tons of aid are currently positioned at or near the shuttered Rafah crossing, which is Gaza’s single connection to Egypt.
It will be the first international aid relief to enter Gaza since 7 October, when Hamas invaded Israel, killing 1,400 people, most of whom were civilians, and taking 200 others hostage.
Israel, meanwhile, has voiced fears that deliveries could end up in the hands of Hamas, or could be used to bring in weapons under cover.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that aid was approved following a request from Biden. In a statement reported by Associated Press, it said Israel “will not thwart” deliveries of water, food or medicine coming from Egypt – as long as those supplies are limited to civilians in the south of the Gaza strip and do not fall into the hands of Hamas militants. Associated Press reported that the statement did not mention fuel.
The announcement was, however, met with anger from families of some of the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. in a statement reported by Associated Press, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said in a statement:
“Children, infants, women, soldiers, men, and elderly, some with serious illnesses, wounded and shot, are held underground like animals,” But “the Israeli government pampers the murderers and kidnappers.”
It comes as Ireland announced a €13.5 million emergency aid package for the people of Palestine. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, announcing the package, said: “This is a crisis that simply cannot wait.”
Writing on X, he said that €10 million will go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), while €3 million will be towards the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“This funding from Ireland will help the UN and others provide essential support to extremely vulnerable people, in particular those in Gaza who are dealing with acute and severe challenges,” he said in a statement through the Foreign Ministry.
Noting that what the world is witnessing in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory is “tragic and shocking,” Mr Martin said, continuing: “I have said repeatedly that there should be a humanitarian ceasefire to meet the urgent basic needs of the people in Gaza.”
“It is essential that humanitarian relief is provided to those who need it,” he added.
As Biden’s visit to Israel concludes, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak touched down in Tel Aviv on Thursday. In a message to Israel, Mr Sunak said Britain “stands with the people of Israel,” as he described the “unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism” perpetrated by Hamas.
“Above all, I’m here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people,” Mr Sunak said. “You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you.”
Taking to X, he said Israel was “a nation in grief” and vowed support “against the evil that is terrorism.”