Strikes kill dozens in Gaza as Israel allows more aid into Palestinian territory
Israel continues to bombard war-torn Gaza despite mounting international pressure to halt military operations
Israel pressed ahead Tuesday with its new military offensive in Gaza despite mounting international criticism, launching air strikes that health officials said killed at least 85 Palestinians. Israeli officials said they also allowed in dozens more trucks carrying aid.
Two days after aid began entering Gaza, the desperately needed new supplies have not yet reached people in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade for nearly three months, according to the United Nations. Experts have warned that many of Gaza’s 2 million residents are at high risk of famine.
Under pressure, Israel agreed this week to allow a “minimal” amount of aid into the Palestinian territory after preventing the entry of food, medicine and fuel in an attempt to pressure the Hamas militant group.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that although the aid has entered Gaza, aid workers were not able to bring it to distribution points where it is most needed, after the Israeli military forced them to reload the supplies onto separate trucks and workers ran out of time.
COGAT, the Israeli defence body that oversees humanitarian aid, said five trucks entered Monday and 93 trucks entered Tuesday. But Dujarric said the UN confirmed only a few dozen trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday.