US aids Gaza access amid crisis, says Blinken

Blinken expressed on X: "We support Israel in its self-defense. The United States is actively engaged in facilitating the safe passage of Gaza's residents and ensuring vital aid like food, water, and medicine reaches them.

Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said Washington is “actively working” to ensure that humanitarian assistance can get into Gaza as the Hamas-Israel conflict continued for the 10th consecutive day.

In a post on X, Blinken said: “We stand with Israel as it defends itself. The United States is also actively working to ensure the people of Gaza can get out of harm’s way and the assistance they need — food, water, medicine — can get in.

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“Hamas does not care if Palestinians suffer.”

Gaza is facing a critical humanitarian crisis, with shortages of water, electricity, food, fuel and medicine.

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the only remaining outlet for supplies, has been closed for much of the past week.

On Monday however, Israel denied reports that it had agreed to a ceasefire in southern Gaza to allow the Rafah border crossing to open to let aid into the Hamas-controlled enclave.

“At the moment there is no ceasefire for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the exit of foreigners,” The Times of Israel quoted a statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau’s office.

Earlier, reports said that Israel had agreed to halt fire from 9 a.m. in a deal agreed on with Egypt and the US.

Several Likud ministers are vehemently opposing a reported US-brokered temporary truce to allow aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, The Times of Israel reported.

Energy Minister Israel Katz said that he “bitterly opposes the opening of the blockade and the introduction of goods into Gaza on humanitarian grounds”.

“Our commitment is to the families of the murdered and kidnapped hostages — not to the Hamas murderers and those who helped them,” he said.

Also objecting the move, Culture Minister Miki Zohar said: “Those who massacre children, rape women and kidnap babies do not deserve any mercy.”

Meanwhile, the Hamas has also said that it did not have any information about the proposed humanitarian truce at the Rafah border crossing.

Meanwhile, tonnes of vital humanitarian supplies for people in Gaza have been piling up on the Egyptian side of the border, CNN reported.

On Sunday, Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency, said that Gaza is rapidly running out of water and electricity, and the population faces severe shortages of food and medicine.

“Gaza is being strangled and it seems that the world right now has lost its humanity. If we look at the issue of water — we all know water is life — Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life,” Lazzarini said.