Intense Israeli airstrikes in Gaza take war death toll past 5,000

The Israel-Hamas War, which has been ongoing for nearly two weeks, continues to intensify, resulting in destruction and casualties among civilians on both sides, with a heavier toll in Gaza.

Amidst intensified air strikes on Gaza in the last couple of days, the Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, on Thursday (October 19) reportedly told troops near the Gaza border that the order to enter the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave would come "soon."

According to NBC, more than 5,000 lives have been lost so far, since the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7.

Intensified airstrikes

• Israel has reportedly intensified its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, targeting various locations, including a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, which was being used as a shelter for families.

• Gaza's hospitals are overwhelmed, struggling to provide medical care amid dwindling supplies and fuel shortages. Some surgeries are being performed by the light of mobile phones, highlighting the dire conditions, reported AP.

• Amid the worsening situation, US President Joe Biden has pledged unwavering support for Israel's security and the humanitarian suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. He distinguished ordinary Palestinians and the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza.

Humanitarian aid stuck

• On Wednesday, Israel okayed allowing Egypt to provide food, water, and medicine to Gaza, offering a glimmer of hope in the ongoing crisis. Many Gaza residents face severe food and water shortages. However, the aid is all piled up at the Rafah border with Egypt.

• Biden, on Friday, announced a deal with Egypt to allow a convoy of 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, which has been sealed off after it was struck by Israeli rockets on October 10. The aid will include medical supplies, food, and other essentials provided by various international organisations, countries and the United Nations.

• Negotiations are still ongoing regarding the entry of fuel for hospitals, with concerns about fuel diversion by Hamas. The first trucks of aid are expected to enter Gaza soon, reported AP.

• Egypt and Israel are still negotiating the entry of fuel, reported AP.

• More than one million Palestinians, more than half of Gaza's population, have fled their homes following Israel's evacuation orders, resulting in a major tent camp to shelter displaced people, reported Al Jazeera.

The U.N. Secretary-General has called for a "humanitarian cease-fire" and urged that aid deliveries continue to address the urgent needs of Gaza's population.

Biden's aid

• According to Reuters, US President Biden is set to request funding from Congress (US parliament), including $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.

• Biden also issued a warning to Iran's leaders, holding them accountable for their support of Hamas and Russia's actions in Ukraine.

The situation in West Asia remains volatile, and the US is evidently looking to deepen its involvement in the war.