US President Joe Biden commended Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for opening the Rafah crossing to allow 20 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Biden informed reporters that the shipment for Gaza might not reach its destination until Friday.
The Israeli air raids in Gaza have left a distressing impact on civilians, with one particular incident being the strike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital. The militant group Hamas attributed the Gaza hospital attack to Israel. However, the Israeli military countered the claim, stating that the blast was the result of a misfiring Palestinian rocket.
During his visit to Israel, President Biden expressed humanitarian aid support, endorsing Israel’s strong denial of involvement.
In a separate development, Israeli forces have been engaged in deadly confrontations with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that at least five Palestinians were killed in the cities of Nablus and Ramallah, aggravating the rising death toll and tensions in the region.
Gaza has been under a complete siege since the start of the conflict.
Protests against the violence in Gaza persist worldwide.
Israel faces international criticism, with the Palestinian Mission to the UN in Geneva denouncing what they term as Israeli “disinformation” and propaganda following the Gaza hospital strike.
In the occupied West Bank, more tragic incidents unfolded as Gabriel Awad lost his life in Budrus, a village west of Ramallah, during an altercation with Israeli forces. Another individual was injured in the confrontation, and both were initially taken to the Ni’lin Emergency Centre and later transferred to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah.
A 14-year-old Palestinian named Ahmed Munis Sadouq was killed by Israeli forces in the Dheisheh refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. He was shot in the head with live bullets, and four other people were injured in the shooting.
Israeli forces have been conducting raids and arresting suspected Hamas members in various areas of the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.
The conflict has spilt over into neighbouring regions, with Israel targeting Hezbollah’s positions on the Lebanon-Israel border in response to shooting attacks. These targets included an observation point facing the sea, which had been used for firing anti-tank missiles at Rosh HaNikra in northwest Israel. Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV initially reported Israeli air attacks hitting two locations in Lebanon.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,480 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.