Israel to allow Egypt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip

Israel said Wednesday that it will allow Egypt to deliver limited quantities of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the decision was approved in light of a request from visiting US President Joe Biden.

In a statement, it said it “will not thwart” deliveries of food, water and medicine, as long as the supplies do not reach Hamas. The statement made no mention of badly needed fuel.

It was not clear when the aid will start flowing. Egypt’s Rafah crossing has only a limited capacity, and Egypt says it has been damaged by Israeli airstrikes.

Israel, which controls most crossings into Gaza, says it will not allow deliveries from its territory.

It also demanded that international Red Cross be allowed to visit kidnapped Israelis held captive in Gaza.

Palestinian groups in Gaza are believed to be holding over 250 Israelis following a cross-border attack into Israeli territory.

Gaza is experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis with no electricity, while water, food, fuel, and medical supplies are running out.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” to ease the “epic human suffering.”

At least 3,478 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, while the figure stands at more than 1,400 people in Israel.