The United States on Monday will announce nearly $336 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, according to a US Agency for International Development statement seen by Reuters.

The United States on Monday will announce nearly $336 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, according to a US Agency for International Development statement seen by Reuters. The funding, first reported by Reuters, will enable USAID's partners to continue to provide humanitarian aid, including food assistance, healthcare, nutrition, and other services, according to the statement. The funding will also support emergency shelter assistance to displaced Gazans ahead of winter, the statement said. "Over the last year, this conflict has cost the lives of innocent Palestinians and Israelis and has left Gaza and the West Bank in a state of humanitarian crisis and dire humanitarian need," the statement said. "The United States continues to call on all parties to agree to a ceasefire deal and an immediate release of hostages, and to allow for the immediate scale-up of humanitarian aid moving into and throughout Gaza." The war began last Oct. 7 when Hamas gunmen stormed Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's military has levelled swaths of the besieged Palestinian enclave, driving nearly all of its 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing more than 41,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. Also read: ‘Terrorism has no place in our world,’ PM Narendra Modi speaks to Netanyahu The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying unsuccessfully to broker a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas. A USAID spokesperson said that agency partners have continued to reach people in Gaza with aid, but added that "barriers to access and insecurity prevent the necessary scaling of assistance to adequately meet the needs of the 2.3 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in Gaza." The agency is continuing to work with partners to resolve issues impacting the ability for assistance to reach communities in need, the spokesperson said. The UN has long complained of obstacles to getting aid into Gaza during the war and distributing it amid "total lawlessness" in the besieged enclave. Nearly 300 humanitarian aid workers, more than two-thirds of them UN staff, have been killed. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US to announce $336 million in humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank

Israeli forces on Tuesday (May 7) seized control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Tanks pushed into Rafah, marking it Israel's first ground incursion into the southern Gazan city. The Rafah crossing is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;

The United Nations said that the Israeli authorities have denied access to it.&nbsp;Wael Abu Omar, who is a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, said the crossing&nbsp;was out of service.&nbsp;

"The whole western area (of Rafah) has become a theatre of operations since yesterday. The bombardment has not stopped," said Abu Omar as reported by the news agencies.&nbsp;

He added that crews have fled the facilities because of the bombing.&nbsp;Omar added that the travel and the flow of aid into the Strip via Rafah have "stopped completely".&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gaza-war-live-updates-israel-says-it-has-captured-palestinian-side-of-rafah-crossing-718823">Gaza war: Palestinian Authority calls on US to 'intervene immediately'</a>

Hamas said on Monday that it had accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar, and later accused Israel of trying to undermine the truce talks taking place in Cairo by mounting the offensive.&nbsp;

The ground invasion began a day after Israel warned Palestinians in the area to evacuate. More than one million people sought refuge from months of Israeli bombardment in Rafah, and the military's thrust was said to be catastrophic amid a deteriorating humanitarian situation.&nbsp;

People took refuge in Rafah. They were living in tented camps and makeshift shelters. On being ordered by the Israeli side, many are trying to leave. But they have nowhere safe to go.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-times-reuters-win-pulitzer-prizes-for-hamass-oct-7-attack-and-israeli-response-718827">New York Times, Reuters win Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hamas's Oct 7 attack and Israeli response</a>

In army footage, tanks with Israeli flags were seen taking "operational control" of the Palestinian side of the border crossing, in a deployment that had a "very limited scope against very specific targets".&nbsp;

Rafah was also rocked by heavy bombardments overnight, with the Kuwaiti hospital saying that 23 people were killed. The Najjar hospital said another four people were killed, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and planes also attacked several areas and houses there overnight. The Gaza health ministry said Israeli strikes across the enclave had killed 54 Palestinians and wounded 96 others in the past 24 hours.

The Israeli military said a limited operation in Rafah was meant to kill fighters and dismantle infrastructure used by Hamas, which governs Gaza.&nbsp;

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<h2>UN on Rafah crossing</h2>

Jens Laerke, who is the spokesman for the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA, said there was only a one-day buffer of fuel to run humanitarian operations inside the besieged Palestinian territory.&nbsp;

"We currently do not have any physical presence at the&nbsp;Rafah&nbsp;crossing as our access... has been denied by COGAT," he said, referring to the Israeli agency that oversees supplies into the Palestinian territories.

"We have been told there will be no crossings of personnel or goods in or out for the time being. That has a massive impact on how much stock do we have."

"There's a very, very short buffer of one day of fuel available."

"As fuel only comes in through&nbsp;Rafah, the one day buffer is for the entire operation in Gaza."

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Israeli forces on Tuesday (May 7) seized control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Tanks pushed into Rafah, marking it Israel's first ground incursion into the southern Gazan city.

Israeli forces on Tuesday (May 7) seized control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Tanks pushed into Rafah, marking it Israel's first ground incursion into the southern Gazan city. The Rafah crossing is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The United Nations said that the Israeli authorities have denied access to it. Wael Abu Omar, who is a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, said the crossing was out of service. "The whole western area (of Rafah) has become a theatre of operations since yesterday. The bombardment has not stopped," said Abu Omar as reported by the news agencies. He added that crews have fled the facilities because of the bombing. Omar added that the travel and the flow of aid into the Strip via Rafah have "stopped completely". Also read: Gaza war: Palestinian Authority calls on US to 'intervene immediately' Hamas said on Monday that it had accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar, and later accused Israel of trying to undermine the truce talks taking place in Cairo by mounting the offensive. The ground invasion began a day after Israel warned Palestinians in the area to evacuate. More than one million people sought refuge from months of Israeli bombardment in Rafah, and the military's thrust was said to be catastrophic amid a deteriorating humanitarian situation. People took refuge in Rafah. They were living in tented camps and makeshift shelters. On being ordered by the Israeli side, many are trying to leave. But they have nowhere safe to go. Also read: New York Times, Reuters win Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hamas's Oct 7 attack and Israeli response In army footage, tanks with Israeli flags were seen taking "operational control" of the Palestinian side of the border crossing, in a deployment that had a "very limited scope against very specific targets". Rafah was also rocked by heavy bombardments overnight, with the Kuwaiti hospital saying that 23 people were killed. The Najjar hospital said another four people were killed, AFP reported. Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and planes also attacked several areas and houses there overnight. The Gaza health ministry said Israeli strikes across the enclave had killed 54 Palestinians and wounded 96 others in the past 24 hours. The Israeli military said a limited operation in Rafah was meant to kill fighters and dismantle infrastructure used by Hamas, which governs Gaza. Watch this report: × UN on Rafah crossing Jens Laerke, who is the spokesman for the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA, said there was only a one-day buffer of fuel to run humanitarian operations inside the besieged Palestinian territory. "We currently do not have any physical presence at the Rafah crossing as our access... has been denied by COGAT," he said, referring to the Israeli agency that oversees supplies into the Palestinian territories. "We have been told there will be no crossings of personnel or goods in or out for the time being. That has a massive impact on how much stock do we have." "There's a very, very short buffer of one day of fuel available." "As fuel only comes in through Rafah, the one day buffer is for the entire operation in Gaza." Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Humanitarian aid flow impacted as Israeli forces take control of Gaza side of Rafah crossing

Abel Tesfaye, popularly known by his stage name, The Weekend, has pledged to donate $2 million to aid humanitarian support in Gaza. He is pledging to provide food to the people of Gaza. This fund will be allocated from his XO Humanitarian Fund. It will provide 18 million loaves of bread to help families in Gaza.

The donation comes on the heels of the work of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which will provide 1,500 metric tonnes of fortified wheat flour to feed more than 157,000 Palestinians.

<h2>Not the first time when The Weekend has helped the people of Gaza</h2>

This is not the first time that The Weekend has shelled out money to help the people of Palestine. Previously, he had donated $2.5 million in December 2023. That funding provided 820 metric tonnes of food parcels to feed 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks.&nbsp;

Also, the singer urged his fans to shell out money for the humanitarian cause.&nbsp;

Apart from helping Gaza, the singer also donated to the Los Angeles-based organisation School on Wheels to support more than 1,000 students experiencing homelessness. He also gave millions of dollars to charitable organisations in recent years including Ethiopia, Lebanon, Covid relief and more.

“With famine looming in Gaza, Abel’s generous support will provide vital relief for thousands of Palestinian families who battle the grip of hunger every day. We are tremendously grateful for his contribution, compassion and for his unwavering advocacy for WFP and the people of Palestine,” said WFP’s Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Region, Corinne Fleischer.

“We are very grateful for Abel’s continued support as WFP works to respond to the urgent hunger crisis in Gaza,” said Barron Segar, president and CEO, World Food Program USA.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-makes-record-with-tortured-poets-album-all-songs-in-billboard-hot-100-716505">Taylor Swift makes record with Tortured Poets album, all songs in Billboard Hot 100</a>

Abel Tesfaye, popularly known by his stage name, The Weekend, has pledged to donate $2 million to aid humanitarian support in Gaza. He is pledging to provide food to the people of Gaza.

Abel Tesfaye, popularly known by his stage name, The Weekend, has pledged to donate $2 million to aid humanitarian support in Gaza. He is pledging to provide food to the people of Gaza. This fund will be allocated from his XO Humanitarian Fund. It will provide 18 million loaves of bread to help families in Gaza. The donation comes on the heels of the work of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which will provide 1,500 metric tonnes of fortified wheat flour to feed more than 157,000 Palestinians. Not the first time when The Weekend has helped the people of Gaza This is not the first time that The Weekend has shelled out money to help the people of Palestine. Previously, he had donated $2.5 million in December 2023. That funding provided 820 metric tonnes of food parcels to feed 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks. Also, the singer urged his fans to shell out money for the humanitarian cause. Apart from helping Gaza, the singer also donated to the Los Angeles-based organisation School on Wheels to support more than 1,000 students experiencing homelessness. He also gave millions of dollars to charitable organisations in recent years including Ethiopia, Lebanon, Covid relief and more. “With famine looming in Gaza, Abel’s generous support will provide vital relief for thousands of Palestinian families who battle the grip of hunger every day. We are tremendously grateful for his contribution, compassion and for his unwavering advocacy for WFP and the people of Palestine,” said WFP’s Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Region, Corinne Fleischer. “We are very grateful for Abel’s continued support as WFP works to respond to the urgent hunger crisis in Gaza,” said Barron Segar, president and CEO, World Food Program USA. Also read: Taylor Swift makes record with Tortured Poets album, all songs in Billboard Hot 100

The Weeknd pledges $2 million for humanitarian aid in Gaza

The White House said that United States President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (Mar 18) and discussed the situation in Rafah. In the first call between the two leaders since February 15, they talked about the efforts to increase aid to war-ravaged Gaza.&nbsp;

The talks come amid rising jitters between Israel and the US over the escalating tensions in the West Asian region. The West, including the US, often backed Israel's rights to defend itself in the aftermath of Hamas' deadly October 7 attack, but now it has started to criticise Netanyahu's handling of the war.&nbsp;

"President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to discuss the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, including the situation in Rafah and efforts to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza," the White House said.&nbsp;

According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office readout,&nbsp;Netanyahu said: "We talked about the latest developments in the war, including Israel’s commitment to achieving all the goals of the war: the elimination of Hamas, the release of all our hostages, and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel – while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that helps achieve these goals."&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-forces-launch-overnight-raid-at-gazas-al-shifa-hospital-several-casualties-reported-701387">Israeli forces launch raid at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital, several casualties reported</a>&nbsp;

Tensions have risen recently after Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime supporter of Israel and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, called for new elections in Israel and said Netanyahu was an obstacle to peace.&nbsp;

Leaders from the US, including Biden and Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, praised the speech and said that Schumer had echoed the concerns of many Americans.&nbsp;

Netanyahu responded harshly on Sunday, telling CNN in an interview that Schumer's speech was "totally inappropriate".

Netanyahu reiterated to a cabinet meeting on Sunday that Israeli forces would enter Rafah, the last relatively safe place in the tiny, packed Gaza territory, despite international pressure to avoid further civilian losses.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-delegation-to-head-to-doha-for-temporary-gaza-ceasefire-hostage-talks-reports-701290">Israeli delegation to head to Doha for temporary Gaza ceasefire, hostage release talks</a>&nbsp;

<h2>'Gaza is facing famine'&nbsp;</h2>

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday called for a rapid ceasefire as she said on Sunday that Gaza was facing famine.&nbsp;

"We are all extremely concerned about the war in Gaza and the unfolding catastrophic humanitarian situation. Gaza is facing famine, and we cannot accept this. It is critical to achieve an agreement on a ceasefire rapidly now that frees the hostages and allows more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza," she told reporters, speaking in Cairo after signing a strategic partnership agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.&nbsp;

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While recalling the previous ceasefire, she praised al-Sisi, stating, "I commend you for your personal efforts Mr President to broker such a ceasefire and we're also very concerned about the risks (that) a full-scale offensive in Rafah would have on the vulnerable civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs."&nbsp;

Sisi said that Egypt and European leaders have agreed to reject an Israeli military operation in Rafah.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

The White House said that United States President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (Mar 18) and discussed the situation in Rafah.

The White House said that United States President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (Mar 18) and discussed the situation in Rafah. In the first call between the two leaders since February 15, they talked about the efforts to increase aid to war-ravaged Gaza. The talks come amid rising jitters between Israel and the US over the escalating tensions in the West Asian region. The West, including the US, often backed Israel's rights to defend itself in the aftermath of Hamas' deadly October 7 attack, but now it has started to criticise Netanyahu's handling of the war. "President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to discuss the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, including the situation in Rafah and efforts to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza," the White House said. According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office readout, Netanyahu said: "We talked about the latest developments in the war, including Israel’s commitment to achieving all the goals of the war: the elimination of Hamas, the release of all our hostages, and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel – while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that helps achieve these goals." Also read: Israeli forces launch raid at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital, several casualties reported Tensions have risen recently after Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime supporter of Israel and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, called for new elections in Israel and said Netanyahu was an obstacle to peace. Leaders from the US, including Biden and Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, praised the speech and said that Schumer had echoed the concerns of many Americans. Netanyahu responded harshly on Sunday, telling CNN in an interview that Schumer's speech was "totally inappropriate". Netanyahu reiterated to a cabinet meeting on Sunday that Israeli forces would enter Rafah, the last relatively safe place in the tiny, packed Gaza territory, despite international pressure to avoid further civilian losses. Also read: Israeli delegation to head to Doha for temporary Gaza ceasefire, hostage release talks 'Gaza is facing famine' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday called for a rapid ceasefire as she said on Sunday that Gaza was facing famine. "We are all extremely concerned about the war in Gaza and the unfolding catastrophic humanitarian situation. Gaza is facing famine, and we cannot accept this. It is critical to achieve an agreement on a ceasefire rapidly now that frees the hostages and allows more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza," she told reporters, speaking in Cairo after signing a strategic partnership agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Watch this report: × While recalling the previous ceasefire, she praised al-Sisi, stating, "I commend you for your personal efforts Mr President to broker such a ceasefire and we're also very concerned about the risks (that) a full-scale offensive in Rafah would have on the vulnerable civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs." Sisi said that Egypt and European leaders have agreed to reject an Israeli military operation in Rafah. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden speaks to Netanyahu, discusses latest developments in Gaza and humanitarian aid

The ship carrying aid for Gaza residents caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas is nearing its destination. This comes as the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that starvation is being employed as a tool of warfare.

Meanwhile, faced with international pressure, Israel said it was trying to "flood" the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid.

<h2>A man-made disaster</h2>

In Gaza, after more than five months of the war, the population of around 2.3 million is increasingly facing a growing risk of famine. Aid agencies have called for food supplies to be stepped up and have accused Israel of not doing enough to ensure aid reaches the people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-report-finds-israels-killing-of-journalist-in-lebanon-a-clear-violation-of-international-law-699846">UN report finds Israel's killing of journalist in Lebanon a clear violation of international law</a>

Borrell, on Tuesday (Mar 12), told the UN security council in New York that the lack of aid reaching Gaza was a man-made disaster.&nbsp;

"We are now facing a population fighting for their own survival," he said, adding, "[The humanitarian crisis is] man-made, and when we look for alternative ways of providing support by sea, by air, we have to remind [ourselves] that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support through roads is being … artificially closed."

"Starvation is being used as a war arm, and when we condemned this happening in Ukraine, we have to use the same words for what is happening in Gaza," he alleged.

<h2>Open Arms to reach Gaza soon</h2>

After completing its 240 miles (386.24 kilometres)&nbsp;journey from Cyprus, the Spanish-flagged vessel Open Arms, which is carrying 200 tonnes of food or almost half a million meals, as per The Guardian&nbsp;will soon dock at a jetty being built by the World Central Kitchen (WCK).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-starvation-being-used-as-a-weapon-says-eu-official-699731">Israel-Hamas war: Starvation being used as a weapon, says EU official</a>

As the aid nears Gaza, the EU on Wednesday (Mar 13) urged Israel to open additional crossings into Gaza, reports Reuters.

"While supporting the Cyprus maritime corridor, we call on Israel to open additional crossings so more aid can reach Gaza, including the North, and to ease overall customs restrictions," said EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic on social media platform X.

<h2>Israel trying to 'flood' Gaza with aid</h2>

Blaming failures by the aid agencies for the delay in aid reaching Gaza, Israel's main military spokesperson on Wednesday (Mar 13) said, "We are trying to flood the area, to flood it with humanitarian aid."

(With inputs from agencies)

The ship carrying aid for Gaza residents caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas is nearing its destination. This comes as the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that starvation is being employed as a tool of warfare.

The ship carrying aid for Gaza residents caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas is nearing its destination. This comes as the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that starvation is being employed as a tool of warfare. Meanwhile, faced with international pressure, Israel said it was trying to "flood" the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid. A man-made disaster In Gaza, after more than five months of the war, the population of around 2.3 million is increasingly facing a growing risk of famine. Aid agencies have called for food supplies to be stepped up and have accused Israel of not doing enough to ensure aid reaches the people. Also read | UN report finds Israel's killing of journalist in Lebanon a clear violation of international law Borrell, on Tuesday (Mar 12), told the UN security council in New York that the lack of aid reaching Gaza was a man-made disaster. "We are now facing a population fighting for their own survival," he said, adding, "[The humanitarian crisis is] man-made, and when we look for alternative ways of providing support by sea, by air, we have to remind [ourselves] that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support through roads is being … artificially closed." "Starvation is being used as a war arm, and when we condemned this happening in Ukraine, we have to use the same words for what is happening in Gaza," he alleged. Open Arms to reach Gaza soon After completing its 240 miles (386.24 kilometres) journey from Cyprus, the Spanish-flagged vessel Open Arms, which is carrying 200 tonnes of food or almost half a million meals, as per The Guardian will soon dock at a jetty being built by the World Central Kitchen (WCK). Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Starvation being used as a weapon, says EU official As the aid nears Gaza, the EU on Wednesday (Mar 13) urged Israel to open additional crossings into Gaza, reports Reuters. "While supporting the Cyprus maritime corridor, we call on Israel to open additional crossings so more aid can reach Gaza, including the North, and to ease overall customs restrictions," said EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic on social media platform X. Israel trying to 'flood' Gaza with aid Blaming failures by the aid agencies for the delay in aid reaching Gaza, Israel's main military spokesperson on Wednesday (Mar 13) said, "We are trying to flood the area, to flood it with humanitarian aid." (With inputs from agencies)

EU urges Israel to open crossings as aid ship nears Gaza; Israel says will 'flood' area with humanitarian aid

An aid ship loaded with 200 tonnes of essential food supplies, aimed at mitigating the looming famine in the Gaza Strip, remained docked in Cyprus on Sunday night. This delay comes as the urgency to provide maritime aid builds amid stalled ceasefire talks and the onset of Ramadan.

<h2>When will the vessel depart?</h2>

According to Cyprus government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the vessel's departure schedule would not be disclosed for security reasons.

However, reports indicate&nbsp;that "technical issues" might further postpone its departure until Monday morning.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-13000-of-31000-palestinians-killed-during-gaza-war-terrorists-claims-israeli-pm-netanyahu-698757">At least 13,000 of 31,000 Palestinians killed during Gaza war 'terrorists,' claims Israeli PM Netanyahu</a>

As per The Guardian, the World Central Kitchen (WCK), along with the Spanish charity Open Arms, had coordinated the delivery of rice, flour, lentils, beans, and canned fish and meat via an Open Arms vessel from Larnaca to Gaza. Most of this aid, as per Reuters, is funded by the UAE.

However, as of Sunday evening, the boat remained anchored in Cyprus. Letymbiotis said that the cargo had undergone inspection by Cypriot officials under an Israel-approved plan.

Although WCK spokesperson Linda Roth refrained from providing detailed logistical information due to the "evolving and fluid situation," she mentioned that Open Arms, accompanied by a barge, would set sail at the earliest opportunity.&nbsp;

Roth also said that the charities were prepared to dispatch an additional 500 tonnes of aid, funded by the UAE, with preparations underway for a floating jetty to receive the aid.

<h2>Gaza and humanitarian aid</h2>

As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza builds, international players, as per media reports, have been scrambling to find alternative routes to supply aid.

Also watch |&nbsp;Palestinians in Rafah gear up for Ramadan amidst shadow of Gaza war

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The delay in the aid ship's departure underscores the challenges of delivering assistance to Gaza via unconventional means.&nbsp;

The shallow waters along the Gaza Strip shoreline and the lack of functioning ports pose significant obstacles to maritime operations. It also raises uncertainties about how the new "sea highway" will impact the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

<h2>US' temporary pier</h2>

Officials in Washington, as per the report, have disclosed that a US military vessel carrying equipment for constructing a secondary temporary pier in Gaza was en route to the Mediterranean. However, they cautioned that it could take weeks before the facility became operational.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-in-talks-with-hamas-and-israel-to-restart-ceasefire-talks-report-698685">Egypt in talks with Hamas and Israel to restart ceasefire talks: Report</a>

Israel has faced repeated allegations of inadequate facilitation of humanitarian aid to Gaza's population of 2.3 million.&nbsp;

This 'open arms' mission, if successful, would effectively signal the first easing of an Israeli naval blockade imposed on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas took control of the Palestinian enclave.

(With inputs from agencies)

An aid ship loaded with 200 tonnes of essential food supplies, aimed at mitigating the looming famine in the Gaza Strip, remained docked in Cyprus on Sunday night.

An aid ship loaded with 200 tonnes of essential food supplies, aimed at mitigating the looming famine in the Gaza Strip, remained docked in Cyprus on Sunday night. This delay comes as the urgency to provide maritime aid builds amid stalled ceasefire talks and the onset of Ramadan. When will the vessel depart? According to Cyprus government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the vessel's departure schedule would not be disclosed for security reasons. However, reports indicate that "technical issues" might further postpone its departure until Monday morning. Also read | At least 13,000 of 31,000 Palestinians killed during Gaza war 'terrorists,' claims Israeli PM Netanyahu As per The Guardian, the World Central Kitchen (WCK), along with the Spanish charity Open Arms, had coordinated the delivery of rice, flour, lentils, beans, and canned fish and meat via an Open Arms vessel from Larnaca to Gaza. Most of this aid, as per Reuters, is funded by the UAE. However, as of Sunday evening, the boat remained anchored in Cyprus. Letymbiotis said that the cargo had undergone inspection by Cypriot officials under an Israel-approved plan. Although WCK spokesperson Linda Roth refrained from providing detailed logistical information due to the "evolving and fluid situation," she mentioned that Open Arms, accompanied by a barge, would set sail at the earliest opportunity. Roth also said that the charities were prepared to dispatch an additional 500 tonnes of aid, funded by the UAE, with preparations underway for a floating jetty to receive the aid. Gaza and humanitarian aid As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza builds, international players, as per media reports, have been scrambling to find alternative routes to supply aid. Also watch | Palestinians in Rafah gear up for Ramadan amidst shadow of Gaza war The delay in the aid ship's departure underscores the challenges of delivering assistance to Gaza via unconventional means. The shallow waters along the Gaza Strip shoreline and the lack of functioning ports pose significant obstacles to maritime operations. It also raises uncertainties about how the new "sea highway" will impact the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. US' temporary pier Officials in Washington, as per the report, have disclosed that a US military vessel carrying equipment for constructing a secondary temporary pier in Gaza was en route to the Mediterranean. However, they cautioned that it could take weeks before the facility became operational. Also read | Egypt in talks with Hamas and Israel to restart ceasefire talks: Report Israel has faced repeated allegations of inadequate facilitation of humanitarian aid to Gaza's population of 2.3 million. This 'open arms' mission, if successful, would effectively signal the first easing of an Israeli naval blockade imposed on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas took control of the Palestinian enclave. (With inputs from agencies)

Ship carrying 200 tonnes of essential food supplies to Gaza stuck in Cyprus due to 'technical issues'