Israel Continues to Block Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
According to a new report based on interviews with government officials, humanitarian workers, and NGO staff, Israel has continued to blocked aid operations for Gaza even as the enclave falls deeper into famine.
Calls to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip grow louder as health officials report 20 people in total have now died from malnutrition and dehydration.
In a statement, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra says that
“We believe that dozens are dying silently as a result of starvation without reaching hospitals.”
South Africa has requested additional action, immediate ceasefire order from International Court of Justice to prevent “full-scale famine” in Gaza.
At least 30,800 Palestinians have been killed and 72,198 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.
Logistics within Egypt, Jordan ‘limiting aid to Gaza’
Israel is now falling short of its responsibility to uphold and facilitate aid to Gaza.
The organisation also found that logistical issues within Egypt and Jordan are also limiting the distribution of life-saving assistance to the Palestinian population.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, mainly intended for commercial deliveries, lacks the capacity to process the substantial amount of aid Gaza requires. Egyptian authorities have also sought to deter a large-scale humanitarian response in the northern Sinai, a military zone.
Report also show that Cairo responded to Israel’s pressure to open its borders to Palestinian refugees by intensifying its oversight and regulation of access to the border area for aid agencies, as well as its monitoring of entry and exit of individuals to and from Gaza.
NGOs delivering aid to Gaza from Jordan’s capital Amman noted that Israeli officials put in place strict regulations that did not exist before and are yet to provide clear standard operating procedures to Jordanian authorities.
Houthi official says US to blame for Red Sea turmoil
A spokesman for Yemen’s rebel group has blamed the US for backing Israel’s “genocidal crimes”, and therefore reaffirms that the Houthis will keep waging attacks against Israel-linked vessels until the war on Gaza stops.
His comments came a day after a Houthi attack on a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden killed three crew members, and in the wake of US and UK strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah airport.
“We [the Houthis] hold America responsible for the repercussions of everything that happens in the Red Sea,” spokesperson Abdul Salam said in a post on X. “The world must not forget the genocidal crimes committed by Israel against the people of Gaza, with full American support.”
See also: Israel/Gaza: Over 100 Reportedly Killed in Crowd Near Gaza Aid Convoy
