Israel has allowed 15 trucks loaded with essential aid to enter northern Gaza, addressing warnings from aid organizations about worsening conditions and the risk of famine due to the ongoing conflict. The trucks, which arrived Wednesday, carried food, water, hygiene items, shelter materials, and medical supplies provided by the United Arab Emirates. Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) reported the aid’s arrival, though the United Nations has not yet confirmed if the supplies have reached the intended distribution points in northern Gaza.
The United Nations and various relief organizations reported that although aid deliveries have entered Gaza, Israeli movement restrictions have complicated the safe and effective distribution of supplies to the needed areas. This is exacerbated by instances of local crowds intercepting shipments due to extreme shortages. International pressures, including concerns from the Biden administration, have led Israel to increase its aid efforts in Gaza, yet several aid organizations argue these steps remain insufficient.
Israel’s military presence in northern Gaza has persisted for over a month, with officials citing concerns that Hamas militants are operating in the area. In response, anti-Israel groups argue that the offensive has resulted in widespread displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
In Europe, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed suspending political dialogue with Israel due to alleged human rights violations in Gaza. A spokesman said Borrell “will ask ministers to consider whether Israel is violating human rights, whether Israel is respecting or not international humanitarian law, and he will invite the ministers to express their views on his proposal to suspend political dialogue.”
Borrell’s proposal, expected to be presented at an upcoming meeting of the EU’s 27 foreign ministers in Brussels, would require unanimous support, a difficult goal given the EU’s internal divisions over the Israel-Palestine conflict. The EU-Israel dialogue typically covers topics such as peace, security, and democracy.
Separately, Israeli authorities completed the demolition of the Arab Bedouin village of Umm Al-Hiran in Israel’s Negev Desert. Israeli police dismantled the village’s mosque, the last standing structure, after residents had preemptively removed their homes to avoid state-imposed demolition fees. Israeli officials maintain that the villagers unlawfully occupied public land and have provided alternative plots in a nearby Bedouin town. Residents contend the demolition is part of a broader strategy to displace Arab communities in favor of developments for Israel’s Jewish majority. Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised the demolition, noting that his administration has intensified such actions.
