Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh has urged the international community to create a “united front” to halt Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
“We place at the top of our priorities stopping the Israeli aggression … and bringing in medical and relief aid to prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe,” Shtayyeh said.
Prior to this, U.S President Joe Biden reiterated on X that Israel has a right to defend itself but called on the country to “operate by the laws of war.”
Biden said, “We can’t ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who only want to live in peace.”
“That’s why I secured an agreement for the first shipment of humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” he added.
However, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian asserted that the U.S is waging a war on Palestinians through Israel as he warned of consequences if the bombing of civilians in Gaza continues.
“What we witness today in Gaza is a proxy war waged by the fake Israeli regime, in representing the U.S, against the oppressed nation of Palestine and civilians,” he told reporters.
He added that it is “bitter and unfortunate” that Biden was quick to pay an extraordinary wartime visit to Israel and support its attacks on hospitals, mosques, churches and civilians.
“With his presence in Tel Aviv, the U.S President officially announced that he will send hundreds of planes, ships and trucks filled with arms to support the killing and mass murder that Israel is committing in Gaza,” the Iranian Foreign Minister added.
Biden has not called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, in a visit to Tel Aviv, U.S Senator, Lindsey Graham said the idea that Hamas’ offensive on October 7 happened without the help of Iran was “laughable.”
“We’re here today to tell Iran we are watching you. If this war grows, it is coming to your backyard,” he said, surrounded by other U.S Senators. “There won’t be two fronts, there will be three.”
Calls Made For Fuel
Head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees(UNRWA) disclosed that it will run out of fuel supplies in the Gaza Strip in three days.
“Without fuel, there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries. Without fuel, aid will not reach many civilians in desperate need. Without fuel, there will be no humanitarian assistance,” Philippe Lazzarini said in a written statement.
Additionally, Thomas White, Director of UN’s Palestine refugee agency in Gaza, warned that fuel is the most important commodity missing from the second convoy of 17 trucks entering Gaza from Egypt.
“The key commodity for us right now is fuel. The commodities that are coming in are important – food and medicine – but they don’t include fuel,” White told a news agency from the Rafah border crossing, noting that there is enough power for three extra days only.
“This fuel runs desalination plants to provide drinkable water, provides food [by powering] bakeries, allows hospitals to keep running and for our big logistics operations here, it fuels our cars and generators,” White noted.
These statements came amid the news from Egyptian media outlets, that a second convoy of aid trucks has crossed from Egypt into the Gaza Strip.
A total of 17 trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, October 22, 2023, a day after the first convoy comprising 20 trucks carried medical aid, food and water into the besieged enclave.
The UN estimates about 100 trucks per day are needed to meet the needs of Gaza.
According to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, two planes carrying 87 tonnes of food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip from Qatar are headed to the Egyptian city of El Arish.
“This aid is part of Qatar’s support for the Palestinian people amid the difficult humanitarian conditions due to the Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip,” the ministry statement added.
Gaza’s health ministry spokesperson claimed on Sunday that since 7 October, Israeli strikes on Gaza has resulted in the death of 4,651 Palestinians, of which 40% were children.
More than 14,245 others have been wounded, 70% of them children and women, the ministry claimed.
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