According to reports from Hamas-controlled media, nineteen Palestinians lost their lives in Gaza City last Saturday, while numerous others sustained injuries at the Kuwait junction as aid vehicles were awaited. Alaa al-Khoudary, a Gaza City dweller who had deboarded from the roundabout holding a package of aid, recounted his harrowing experience of being shot at whilst trying to secure food for his children.
While the Israeli armed service confirmed an inquiry into the incident, initial observations revealed no signs of air attack against the aid caravan or of Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) shooting at the people of the convoy. According to an Israeli military briefing, the aid caravan forransporting sustenance to Gaza’s northern inhabitants was attacked and pillaged by numerous Gazans beyond the humanitarian corridor. Previous month, over 100 Palestinians lost their lives following Israeli military firing at a group of ravenous individuals gathered around an aid convoy outside Gaza City.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Defence Minister, is scheduled to depart for US discussions on Sunday, due to elevated strain between the allies concerning the Gaza situation. Gallant’s meetings include US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Citing the starvation crisis in Gaza as a “moral disgrace,” António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, during his annual Ramadhan solidarity visit to the Rafah border checkpoint, demanded instant ceasefire and an enormous influx of aid into Gaza. He also called Israel to provide a “rock-solid pledge” for unhindered access to humanitarian supplies throughout Gaza. Concluding his call at the Rafah border crossing, Guterres urged for the freedom of Israeli captives held in Gaza, giving reassurance of UN’s continual collaboration with Egypt to enhance the delivery of aid to Gaza.
On his trip to the Rafah border crossing on Saturday, Mr Guterres highlighted a global agreement that an attack on the southern Gaza town of Rafah, where over half of the Gaza population are seeking refuge, would lead to a humanitarian disaster. Even without backing from the US, Israel announced on Friday its intent to deploy troops to combat Hamas in the neighbouring city of Rafah. Gaza’s Hamas-governed health ministry has reported a death toll of 32,226 Palestinians and 74,518 injuries since the Israeli military launched an offensive on Gaza on the 7th of October.
In another region, US forces interacted with six Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) above the Southern Red Sea on Saturday, following the launch of four anti-ship ballistic missiles aimed at a Chinese oil tanker, M/V Huang Pu, by the group, as reported by US Central Command. A distress signal was issued by the oil tanker after a fifth missile had been launched towards it. Central Command reported no casualties from the incident and confirmed that the onboard fire had been put out.
The Houthis, Shia rebels backed by Iran, have been in conflict with Yemen’s government for roughly twenty years. They currently control the northwest region of the country along with its capital, Sanaa. This information was relayed by various agencies.