The first ship carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza was on its way Thursday to a floating platform built by the U.S. military. The plan is for cargo to be transferred at the pier to smaller U.S. boats that will deliver it to shore.
The Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a main entry point for aid, has been shut down since Israel’s military took control of the Palestinian side early Tuesday.
Civilians in Rafah have been thrown into panic and chaos by the possibility of a full-scale Israeli invasion of the overcrowded city. Tens of thousands of displaced and exhausted Palestinians have packed up their tents and other belongings and left for other parts of Gaza.
“Where are we supposed to go? Where is the world, that's just watching us?” said Ahmad Abed, who has an 8-month-old daughter. “It’s like we’re sheep.”
The war in Gaza has driven around 80% of the territory's population of 2.3 million from their homes and caused vast destruction to apartments, hospitals, mosques and schools across several cities. The death toll in Gaza has soared to more than 34,500 people, according to local health officials.
The U.N. says northern Gaza is already in a state of “full-blown famine.”
The war began Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250 others. Israel says militants still hold around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.
Currently:
— Yemen's Houthi rebels claim 2 attacks in Gulf of Aden.
— Palestinians flee chaos and panic in Rafah after Israel’s seizure of border crossing.
— Biden says US won’t supply weapons for Israel to attack Rafah, in warning to ally.
— Why the U.S. paused the delivery of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel ahead of a possible Rafah attack.
— Israel says it reopened a key Gaza crossing after a rocket attack. The U.N. says no aid has entered.
— Has Israel followed the law in its war in Gaza? The U.S. is due to render a first-of-its-kind verdict.