Amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war, US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the US continues to urge Israel to ramp up “land, air, and sea deliveries for Gaza civilians”.
In a post on X, Biden said that in the “12 days following my call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, 3,000 trucks with food and supplies moved into Gaza – a daily increase of over 50% from the week prior.”
Biden added, “It’s still not enough,” saying, “We continue to urge Israel to ramp up land, air, and sea deliveries for Gaza civilians.”
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As reported by Reuters, the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry said that Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip has “killed at least 33,899 Palestinians and wounded 76,664 since Oct. 7”.
“Fifty-six Palestinians have been killed and 89 injured in the past 24 hours,” the ministry added in a statement.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the United Nations made a plea for $2.8 billion to offer crucial assistance to 3 million Palestinians. Emphasizing the urgency of addressing the imminent famine in Gaza, the UN highlighted the necessity for not just food but also sanitation, water, and healthcare facilities.
Israel has pulled back most of its troops from Gaza following significant military actions that caused damage to its two largest cities, Gaza City and Khan Younis. However, Israeli officials assert that the conflict is ongoing, with plans to deploy ground forces into Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, where a large portion of the population, totalling over half of the territory’s 2.3 million inhabitants, has sought shelter from the violence elsewhere.
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Hamas still holds approximately 130 hostages, with an estimated quarter of them presumed dead. Despite international efforts, progress in negotiating a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages has been minimal.
An Israeli government representative said on Monday that Israel intends to cease its cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip. Israel has accused the aid agency of contributing to the continuation of conflict in the region.
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In January, Israel claimed that 12 out of UNRWA’s 13,000 employees in Gaza were involved in an attack that occurred on October 7. These accusations from Israel prompted several donor nations to halt their funding to the agency.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Published: 18 Apr 2024, 06:42 AM IST