The US says a border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will be reopened, but the timing is unclear as the UN warns of dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza and Israel warns Palestinians in the northern part of the enclave to leave ahead of a military operation.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who came to Israel on Monday after visiting several other nations in the area, said the US was working with Egypt, Israel, and the United Nations to ensure that supplies are allowed into Gaza and reach those in need.
“Over the past few days, I’ve travelled to Israel, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt,” Blinken said Monday on X. “What I’ve heard from every partner is a shared view to prevent the conflict from spreading, to safeguard innocent lives, and to get assistance to those in Gaza who need it.”
According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there is no deal in place for a cease-fire to let aid enter Gaza and foreigners to leave.
According to the president of the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee agency, Gaza is “being strangled” and supplies of water, food, and medication will soon run out.
The number of hostages taken to Gaza after the October 7 Hamas raid, according to Israel’s military, has risen from 155 to 199. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Hamas to free the hostages immediately and without conditions. He also asked Israel to allow unrestricted access to Gaza for humanitarian supplies and workers.
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