As British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accompanied American President Joe Biden on trips to show support for the fight against Hamas and urge Israel to ease the agony of the beleaguered Gazans, Israel continued to bombard Gaza with airstrikes on Thursday.
After fewer than eight hours in Israel, Biden, who had promised assistance, embraced and comforted survivors of the Oct. 7 invasion by Hamas terrorists who rampaged through southern Israel and killed 1,400 people, took a flight back to the United States on Wednesday night.
However, it appeared that he had only moderate success in his main aim, which was to urge Israel to relieve the situation of the 2.3 million Gazans who were under a complete siege.
A portion of the 100 assistance trucks each day that U.N. relief head Martin Griffiths informed the Security Council was required, 20 would be allowed to arrive in Gaza sometime in the coming days, according to Biden, who claimed he had obtained an offer from Egypt to do this.
In a speech, Biden cautioned Israelis not to let their anger overwhelm them. In America, we were furious following 9/11. We erred, even though we sought justice, and were successful in doing so.
“Israel has been severely victimized, but the truth is that they have an opportunity to relieve suffering of people who have nowhere to go. It’s what they should do,” he told reporters on board Air Force One.
Israel stated that it would permit some limited help from Egypt to reach Gaza as long as Hamas was not benefiting. However, it reiterated its stance that it would only open its checkpoints to let in help until all of the more than 200 hostages taken by the militants had been released.
Hours after Biden left, Sunak arrived in Tel Aviv with a similar message of sympathy and solidarity for Israelis.
“I’m here, above all, to show my support for the Israeli people. After landing, Sunak spoke to Israeli media, saying, “You have endured an appalling, horrific act of terrorism, and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you.
The devastating Israeli bombing of Gaza, which, according to health officials, has now killed close to 3,500 Palestinians and injured more than 12,000, continued unabatedly.
A toddler’s pink crib was toppled on the ground, a clothes store’s windows were blasted out, and cars were destroyed in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip.
Nowhere was secure, according to Rafat Al-Nakhala, who had taken refuge there after complying with Israel’s request that people leave northern Gaza City.
“I’m over 70 years old; I’ve seen many wars, but this is the first time it’s been this savage; there’s no religion, no conscience. Please, God. Only in God do we have hope, not in any Arab or Muslim nation, nor anybody else.
A little boy and girl were shown being freed from a wrecked structure by camp residents using just their bare hands in the video Reuters received from the Jabaliya refugee camp in the north. As locals attempted to illuminate the scene with torches on their cell phones, a guy’s body was being carried out of the wreckage on a stretcher.
According to the U.N., over half of Gaza’s population—one of the world’s densest inhabited regions—has been homeless and is still confined inside the territory.
THE MIDDLE EAST IS RAGGING
Middle Eastern anger over the misery of Gaza’s people makes it more challenging for Biden and other Western leaders to mobilize Arab friends to stop the conflict from expanding.
Biden’s intentions to meet with Arab leaders were derailed after an explosion at a hospital in Gaza on the eve of his arrival forced them to cancel a meeting with him. Palestinians claimed that the blast killed nearly 500 people and was caused by an Israeli air attack. Israel claimed that a botched rocket launch by Palestinian militants was to blame.
In cities around the area, angry protests broke out. According to Biden, American evidence backed up Israel’s account of the hospital explosion.
On his return to Washington in Air Force One, Biden spoke by phone with Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt instead of in person.
Egypt has long claimed that although the border with Gaza is open from its side, the Israeli shelling on the Gaza side prevents help from entering. Cairo has also vehemently resisted any calls for opening the border to facilitate a large-scale migration of Gazans seeking safety.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisor, Mark Regev, stated on CNN that Israel had “in principle” agreed to allow supplies to reach Gaza through Egypt. However, “we don’t want to see Hamas stealing aid that’s directed toward the civilian population.” It’s a significant issue.
Washington has urged to open the crossing so that the few Gazans with foreign passports, including a few Palestinian Americans, can escape, but so far without success.
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