On Saturday, the Palestinian government called upon the international community to intensify pressure on Israel to fully reopen Gaza's border crossings. This appeal came as Israel reported continued airdrops of aid packages into the region.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that 90 aid packages, containing food supplies, were airdropped across the Gaza Strip on Saturday. These airdrops are part of a larger initiative to bolster humanitarian aid within the territory. The operation involved coordination with Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, and France. The IDF stated its commitment to collaborating with the international community to improve humanitarian efforts, while denying accusations of intentionally causing starvation.
Simultaneously, the Palestinian government emphasized the urgent need to address the severe food insecurity in Gaza. According to official reports, food insecurity levels have reached 100 percent. The government highlighted the critical need to halt the use of hunger as a weapon against the Palestinian population.
Earlier in the day, Palestine's official news agency reported that 18 Palestinian aid seekers were killed by Israeli fire in two separate incidents in central Gaza. Hospitals in Gaza recorded seven new deaths in the past 24 hours due to starvation and malnutrition, including one child. This brought the total number of starvation victims since October 2023 to 169, including 93 children, according to Gaza-based health authorities.
In a separate statement, the IDF reported striking over 130 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the weekend. In the northern Gaza Strip, IDF armored troops killed four Hamas militants in an airstrike. In the south, IDF troops killed militants and dismantled militant infrastructure and weapons. The military also announced the killing of Salah al-Din Za'atra in a July 24 airstrike. Za'atra, identified as the deputy commander of Hamas' Al-Furqan Battalion, was accused of orchestrating attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
5 Comments
Comandante
169 deaths from starvation, including children. Shame on Israel for weaponizing hunger.
Mariposa
Working with allies to provide aid packages is a positive thing. Progress always takes time.
Karamba
Focus on the aid deliveries, not the political bickering. Israel is trying to help in a difficult arena.
Rotfront
This is a very complex conflict, but I appreciate the efforts of the IDF to airdrop aid.
Matzomaster
It's good to see the IDF working towards humanitarian efforts. They are doing what they can under difficult circumstances.