Gaza aid stuck as Egypt says Israel not cooperation
Saudi Arabia donates $2 mln to UNRWA to support Palestinians
CAIRO + RIYADH ( Web News )
Saudi Arabia announced on Monday it would be donating $2 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the agency said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Jordan Naif al-Sudairi handed over a cheque to UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Amman yesterday, according to the statement.
“Ambassador al-Sudairi stressed that this contribution aims to strengthen UNRWA’s ability to respond to human development and humanitarian needs of the Palestine Refugees in the region.”
The UNRWA said it has been facing “enormous financial challenges that threaten its ability to maintain its services,” and has called on governments, donors, and partners to continue their support to Palestine Refugees.
Egypt said on Monday that Israel was not cooperating with delivery of aid into Gaza and evacuations of foreign passport holders via the only entry it does not wholly control, leaving hundreds of tons of supplies stuck.
Cairo says the Rafah crossing, a potentially vital opening for desperately-needed supplies into the besieged Palestinian enclave, is not officially closed but is inoperable due to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza side.
“There is an urgent need to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told reporters, adding that talks with Israel had not been fruitful.
“Until now the Israeli government has not taken a position on opening the Rafah crossing from the Gaza side to allow the entrance of assistance and exit of citizens of third countries.”
More than 2 million Gazans have been under siege since Israel launched an intense bombardment and blockade in retaliation for an assault by Hamas militants.
Two Egyptian security sources had told Reuters a ceasefire in southern Gaza to last several hours had been agreed for Monday morning to facilitate aid and evacuations at Rafah.
However, Israel denied that.
“There is currently no truce and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for getting foreigners out,” a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq told Reuters the same.
On the ground at Rafah, one source said that there had been no bombardments on Monday and that the Egyptian side of the crossing was ready. Shoukry said Egypt aimed to allow normal flow through the crossing, including for Palestinians seeking medical treatment or normal travel.
Hundreds of tons of aid from NGOs and several countries were waiting on trucks in the nearby Egyptian town of Al-Arish for conditions to allow entry to Gaza, according to two sources there and a witness.
Separately, Reuters video showed UN-flagged fuel trucks appearing to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing.
Hamas says Gaza water still cut off; Israel says some provided in south
Hamas said on Monday that Israel had not resumed water supplies for the Gaza Strip despite pledging to do so, while an Israeli official responded that some water was being provided to an area in the south of the enclave.
Israel stopped piping water to Gazans as part of a siege imposed after Hamas gunmen rampaged in its southern towns and village on October 7. On Sunday, Israel said that as part of an agreement with Washington it was resuming some supplies.
Hamas interior ministry spokesman Eyad Al-Bozom said on Monday there had been no resumption of water supplies: “The residents drink unhealthy water, posing a serious health crisis threatens the lives of the citizens.”
An aide to Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Israel Katz said water was being supplied in the community of Bnei Sahila, near southern Khan Younis. The aide declined to elaborate on the amount of water being supplied.
Katz said on Sunday that resupplying water in southern Gaza would encourage Palestinian civilians to congregate there as Israel pummels Hamas targets in Gaza City to the north. Israel has told residents of the northern half of Gaza, including Gaza City, to leave for the south.