Israel opens new humanitarian aid crossing point in Gaza Strip | Conflict in the Middle East

Israel announced the opening on Tuesday of a new crossing point for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, just before a deadline set by the United States for the increase in this aid which NGOs still consider insufficient.

Washington, for its part, affirmed that Israel was not violating American law regarding humanitarian aid entering the territory, but called for additional progress.

While the war in the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for more than a year, has plunged the Palestinian enclave into a serious humanitarian crisis, the United States had given the Israeli authorities until mid-November to they allow the increase in aid to the population of the territory threatened with famine, according to theHIM.

As part of this effort, the Kissoufim crossing point was opened today for humanitarian aid trucksthe Israeli army said on Tuesday.

The World Food Program announced to us today that he had delivered the first aid convoy by Kissoufim, indicated the spokesperson for the head ofHIMStéphane Dujarric, reporting 15 trucks transporting food packages and flour.

In a letter dated October 13, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed a series of demands to Israel to enable the aid increase, giving it 30 days to respond.

Failing this, the United States threatened to suspend part of its military assistance to Israel.

The letter notably mentioned the need for Israel to let in up to 350 trucks of humanitarian aid per day, to open a fifth crossing point into the Gaza Strip and to limit evacuation orders.

Insufficient aid

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and eight ONG International organizations estimated Tuesday that the aid entering Gaza was still insufficient.

Israel failed to meet its ally’s demands [américain]at enormous human cost to civiliansestimate the eight ONGincluding Oxfam and Save the Children.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is now at its lowest point since the start of the war […] We call on the US government to immediately conclude that Israel is violating its commitmentsthey write.

Israel’s actions will in the right directionreacted the spokesperson for the American State Department, Vedant Patel, saying however that he wanted see more.

At least 14 people were killed Tuesday in several Israeli strikes on the territory, local Civil Defense said.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army announced that four soldiers had been killed in the north of the territory, bringing to 376 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of its ground operation on October 27, 2023.

The United States said Tuesday it had no lost hope to achieve a ceasefire, even if Qatar recently suspended its mediation, accusing Israel and Hamas of not showing of will and seriousness.

Daily cruelty

Joyce Msuya, acting head of the humanitarian affairs office of theHIMdenounced the daily cruelty suffered by the population of the Gaza Strip besieged and bombarded by Israel, describing acts reminiscent of the most serious international crimes.

We condemned the death, destruction and dehumanization of civilians in Gaza who were driven from their homes, deprived of their sense of belonging and dignity, forced to watch as their family members were killed, burned and buried alivedeclared before the Security Council of theHIM Joyce Msuya.

The words “injured child, no surviving family” were written on the arms of injured children. Most of Gaza is now a field of ruinsshe added, also highlighting the progression of hunger.

Israel’s latest offensive that began last month in northern Gaza represents an intensified, extreme and accelerated version of the horrors of the past yearsince the start of Israeli retaliation to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, the UN official further denounced.

The daily cruelty we see in Gaza seems to have no limit and living conditions in the Palestinian territory are not adapted for human survivalshe insisted.

Lebanon targeted by intensive bombing

Furthermore, Israel also attacked Lebanon, where the Lebanese Hezbollah opened a front against it on October 8, 2023 in support of Hamas. After almost a year of cross-border shooting, the situation degenerated into open conflict on September 23.

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Since then, the Israeli army has been carrying out an intense bombing campaign in Lebanon, mainly against Hezbollah strongholds, and since September 30 a ground invasion in the south of the country.

At least 29 people were killed in strikes across Lebanon on Tuesday, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Hezbollah, for its part, announced that it had launched missiles at an air base south of Tel Aviv, in central Israel, as well as explosive drones at a military base near the town of Nahariya, in the north of the country. .

Two residents of Nahariya, aged around 50, were killed in a rocket attack from Lebanon, municipal authorities announced.

In total, 45 civilians and 30 soldiers have died in Israel since the start of clashes with Hezbollah. In Lebanon, more than 3,300 people have been killed, according to Lebanese authorities.