Israel okays limited aid for Gaza as death toll in the war reaches 4800

With the humanitarian situation in Gaza on the brink of collapse in the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, Israel has reportedly given its approval for limited humanitarian aid to be delivered to the Palestinian enclave from Egypt.

The approval to go ahead was made by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a day after the Al Ahli Arab Hospital blast, in response to a request from US President Joe Biden during his visit to Israel on Wednesday, October 18, reported the Associated Press.

• Biden also announced the allocation of an extra $100 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza and the West Bank.

The war has so far claimed over 4,800 lives, leaving thousands more injured, and missing, and has left more than half of Gaza's population homeless, reported AP.

However, this aid comes with certain conditions set by Israel.

The conditions

Israel's decision to allow humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza is clubbed with a few conditions:

1. Israel insists that the delivered aid should not benefit Hamas, the terrorist group governing Gaza. This condition is meant to prevent the diversion of aid for military purposes, as Hamas has a history.

2. Humanitarian aid shipments will be subject to inspections to ensure they comply with the condition of not reaching Hamas.

3. Notably, the statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention the delivery of badly needed fuel. This omission raises questions about the fuel supply in Gaza, which has faced shortages since the sole power plant in Gaza shut done a week ago.

4. Israel has also made it clear that the aid to be delivered to Gaza won't be sent off from Israel. That means it will be Rafah, the Egyptian border point which might be used to deliver the said aid.

5. Israel has also asked the International Red Cross to be allowed to see the Israeli hostages in Gaza who are reported to be around 200.

Pro-Palestinian protesters barge into US Capitol

• According to a New York Times report, a massive demonstration supporting the Palestinian cause barged into the Cannon Rotunda within the US Capitol in Washington DC, on Wednesday (October 18).
• They called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Around 300 protestors were arrested, the NYT reported.

Sunak to visit Israel

• In the meantime, reporters suggest that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to address the crisis.
• He will be travelling to Israel and neighbouring countries on Thursday (October 19) to meet with leaders and express condolences for the loss of life in both Israel and Gaza.
• Sunak had earlier condemned Hamas' "horrific act of terror."

Situation and challenges

• The decision to allow aid into Gaza comes a day after the explosion at a Gaza City hospital.
• The incident raised conflicting claims about responsibility, with Hamas blaming an Israeli airstrike for the hospital blast.
• Israel, on Wednesday, presented multiple pieces of evidence suggesting it was a rocket misfire by the Islamic Jihad, another militant group in Gaza.

• More than a million people have fled their homes in anticipation of a possible Israeli invasion targeting Hamas' annihilation.
• Aid organisations have warned that an Israeli ground offensive could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis.
• The death toll in the current war has reportedly surpassed 4,800, more than the casualties seen during the 2014 Israeli-Hamas hostilities, AP reported.

US vetoed

• At the United Nations, the United States vetoed a resolution condemning violence against civilians in the Israel-Hamas war and calling for humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
• The US Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, emphasised the need to allow diplomacy to play out, referencing President Biden's ongoing diplomatic efforts.

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