Second Aid Convoy Reaches Gaza Amid Rising Death Toll
New Wave of Aid Forces Its Way Into Gaza
UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths confirmed a second convoy of vital aid trucks has broken through into the Gaza Strip. This follows swiftly after the first 20 trucks crossed the Rafah border from Egypt just a day earlier. Griffiths shared the update on his social media platform X, highlighting the urgency of the humanitarian mission.
UNRWA Staff Suffer Heavy Losses
Tragedy deepens as the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, mourns 29 staff members killed since hostilities erupted between Hamas and Israel earlier this month. Shockingly, half of those lost were teachers. Thousands of Gazans are now sheltering in UNRWA facilities, desperate to escape Israel’s relentless retaliatory strikes.
Gaza’s Grim Toll: Thousands Dead, Hospitals on the Brink
- Over 1,400 people killed since conflict began, with Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reporting 4,600 deaths.
- Hostage crisis worsens as more than 200 people have been taken into Gaza.
- Another deadly air strike hits Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least three Palestinians amid repeated Israeli attacks.
- Earlier attacks killed 18 Palestinians in Jabalia on Thursday alone.
- Senior militant from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command was killed last week in a targeted airstrike.
The healthcare system in Gaza is crumbling under the pressure. Despite aid trucks crossing in, no fuel has reached hospitals since hostilities erupted. This leaves fragile lives hanging by a thread. Unicef warns 120 babies, including 70 premature newborns on ventilators, rely entirely on backup generators with Gaza’s power severed from Israel. Fikr Shalltoot, director of Medical Aid for Palestinians in Gaza, fears many premature babies won’t survive if generators fail.
Israeli Military Prepares for Lengthy Ground Offensive
On the Israeli front, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warns the campaign in Gaza could drag on for months. Speaking after a briefing at the Air Force Operations Command, he praised Israeli air strikes and confirmed a ground invasion is imminent, aiming to wipe out Hamas.
International Leaders to Visit Gaza Hotspot
The world is watching closely as Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron plan visits to the region in the coming days. Their trips signal mounting global concern and attempts to broker peace amid a spiralling humanitarian disaster.
