Israeli forces are pushing both from the north and south as the operation in Rafah continues. From the north, they are looking to recapture an area from Hamas.
Israel briefs US
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s office stated on Monday that he had briefed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the “precise operation” in the Rafah area.
The fighting has led to the closure of a major transit point for aid into the areas. Aid workers say this has worsened an already dire situation. The UN has already declared a famine in the area.
Israelis block aid
Israeli protesters have also blocked aid trucks heading into Gaza throwing food packages onto the road at Tarqumiya checkpoint, west of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The ongoing operations in the south are causing people to flee after Israel ordered evacuations from the north of Gaza. Gaza; heath authority has called upon the international community to ensure that aid gets into the war-stricken area.
Israel kills UN worker
Israel killed a UN worker on Monday bringing the death toll of international aid workers to 190 in the ongoing operations carried out by Israel.
This is the first foreign staff member to be killed in the war in Gaza. The deceased is believed to be an Indian national.
Gazan officials say that the Palestinian death toll in the war has now surpassed 35,000, with 57 killed in the past 24 hours.
Israel is not committing genocide, says US
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US “did not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide.”
The statement came in response to large-scale international criticism that Israel has been carrying out genocide in Gaza.
President Biden’s own supporters have condemned him for this. Analysts say this will hurt his re-election bid in November.
Egypt has recently said that it will join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.
The US has restated that it does not support a ground operation in Gaza. It wants Israel to give evidence that it is not harming in the Rafah operation. Israel has given no assurances that it will do this so far.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday that Washington does not support a major military ground operation in Rafah.
(REUTERS)
