Aid trucks wait in Egypt's Arish as Israel says it will let food into Gaza
World
Israel will ease blockade and let limited amounts of food into Gaza, Prime Minister's Office said
ARISH, Egypt (Reuters) – Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid for Gaza continued to wait in Egypt's North Sinai city of Arish on Monday for possible entry into the enclave through Rafah border crossing, following Israel’s announcement to allow some food into the strip.
Israel will ease its blockade and let limited amounts of food into Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday, after the military announced it had begun "extensive ground operations" in the northern and southern parts of the enclave.
Facing mounting pressure over an aid blockade it imposed in March and the risk of famine, Israel has stepped up its campaign in Gaza, where Palestinian health officials said hundreds have been killed in attacks in the past week.
Israel invaded Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken as hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
The Israeli campaign has devastated Gaza, pushing nearly all of its two million residents from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, many of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Israel has blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to try to pressure Hamas into freeing its hostages and has approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.
