![Israel to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza as more than 12,000 Palestinians injured](https://www.jurist.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/10/Damage_in_Gaza_Strip_during_the_October_2023_-_06.jpeg)
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced Wednesday it would allow food, water, and medicine from Egypt for civilians living in the Gaza Strip. The office emphasized the government will stop any attempt to bring supplies to Hamas, in light of the rocket attack by Hamas on October 7 which killed more than 100 Israeli citizens.
That same day, US President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking the “first time a US President has come to Israel in wartime.” Netanyahu stated Israel will not provide humanitarian aid to Gaza itself due to Hamas’ hostage-taking of Israeli citizens since the war began.
During the visit, Biden emphasized the US’ continued commitment to providing Palestinians with humanitarian aid when he stated, “We’re working in close cooperation with the government of Egypt; the United Nations and its agencies, like the World Food Program; and the other partners in the region to get trucks moving across the border as soon as possible.” As a result, the US pledged $100 million worth of aid for Gaza and the West Bank to support residents ordered to evacuate Northern Gaza.
The European Commission of the European Union will still provide humanitarian funding to Palestine after international backlash from its initial decision to end the funding.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that almost 3,500 Palestinians have been killed and more than 12,000 injured as of Thursday during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with 471 deaths and 314 injuries stemming from a rocket that hit a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday. An independent UN commission has alleged there have been war crimes committed by both Israel and Hamas during the conflict.