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Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid began entering the Rafah crossing to the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday, footage from Egyptian state TV showed.
Earlier, trucks carrying medicine were being prepared and border staff were in place on the Egyptian side of the crossing, a security source and a humanitarian worker said.
Reuters
Hamas has released two US hostages, mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, who were kidnapped as the terrorist organisation attacked southern Israel on October 7.
The women, who were taken from Nahal Oz kibbutz, near the Gaza border, were taken to a military base in central Israel, a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
They are the first hostages to be freed since Hamas gunmen burst into southern Israel nearly two weeks ago, killing 1400 people, mainly civilians, and taking around 200 hostages.
Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing, said the hostages were released in response to Qatari mediation efforts “for humanitarian reasons, and to prove to the American people and the world that the claims made by Biden and his fascist administration are false and baseless”.
The women had been on a trip to Israel from their home in suburban Chicago to celebrate Simchat Torah, a festive Jewish holiday when Hamas and other militants attacked.
Their family had heard nothing from them since the attack and were later told by US and Israeli officials that they were being held in Gaza, Natalie’s brother Ben said.
US President Joe Biden said he was overjoyed to learn of the release of the women. Biden said his administration has been working around the clock to free Americans held hostage by Hamas.
“We have not ceased our efforts to secure the release of those who are still being held,” he said.
At least 4137 Palestinians have been killed, including hundreds of children, and 13,000 wounded in Gaza, according to figures from the Palestinian health ministry.
The United Nations says more than 1 million people have been made homeless.
Reuters
Thank you for joining us today. We will be back tomorrow morning.
Here are the key events that happened today:
Thousands of people gathered at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday for a pro-Palestinian rally amid a heavy police presence.
More than 830 police were deployed across the city after NSW Premier Chris Minns pleaded for calm ahead of the rally, saying a repeat of antisemitic protests in front of the Opera House this week would be ruinous for Sydney and its multicultural, multi-faith community.
Speakers led the crowd in a series of chants including “Long Live the Intifada” and “Resistance is justified when Palestine is occupied”.
An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people attended the event, carrying Palestinian flags and placards with messages such as “Justice for Palestine”, “End the Gaza Blockade” and “It’s not war, it’s genocide”.
Demonstrators listened to speakers detail the destruction and loss of life in Gaza following the attack on Israel earlier this month by militant group Hamas.
Humanitarian officials are hoping today’s convoy of essential supplies into Gaza is the first of many.
Martin Griffiths, the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said today’s delivery follows days of negotiations.
“I am confident that this delivery will be the start of a sustainable effort to provide essential supplies – including food, water, medicine and fuel – to the people of Gaza, in a safe, dependable, unconditional and unimpeded manner,” he said.
“Two weeks since the start of hostilities, the humanitarian situation in Gaza – already precarious – has reached catastrophic levels. It is critical that aid reaches people in need wherever they are across Gaza, and at the right scale.
“The people of Gaza have endured decades of suffering. The international community cannot continue to fail them.”
Egypt is hosting an international conference on Saturday to discuss the escalating war.
Here’s a list of some world leaders expected to attend the Cairo Peace Summit:
Egypt has said little about the aims of the gathering, only that it will address the war.
Reuters
Medicine, medical equipment, disinfectant, antibiotics, water tanks, tents and trauma bags are inside the trucks waiting to cross into Gaza, the World Health Organisation says.
“Inside Gaza, hospitals have already reached breaking point due to shortages and the depletion of medicines and medical supplies,” the WHO said in a social media statement. “These supplies are a lifeline for severely injured people or those battling chronic illnesses, who have endured a harrowing two weeks of limited access to care and severe shortages of medicines and medical supplies.”
Here’s the first photo of the trucks lining up to take aid supplies through the Rafah crossing.
Aid trucks are finally making it across the Gaza-Egypt border. While we’re not sure which trucks (and what aid) is making it across the border, here’s a rundown of what the United Nations has sent:
Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid began entering the Rafah crossing to the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday, footage from Egyptian state TV showed.
Earlier, trucks carrying medicine were being prepared and border staff were in place on the Egyptian side of the crossing, a security source and a humanitarian worker said.
Reuters
Should the Gaza-Egypt border open at 10am (6pm AEDT), the US Embassy in Israel says it does not know how long it will remain open for foreign citizens to depart Gaza.
“We anticipate that many people would attempt to cross should the border open, and US citizens attempting to enter Egypt should expect a potentially chaotic and disorderly environment on both sides of the crossing,” the embassy said in an update.
Those attempting to cross have been warned to assess personal safety and security before choosing to move toward the border or trying to cross.