Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorism, in compliance with international laws that protect civilians. In the phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss “developments in the Gaza Strip”, US President Joe Biden “reiterated that Israel has every right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism and underlined the need to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law that prioritizes the protection of civilians,” as reported by the White House.
Biden “emphasized the need to immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to address the needs of civilians in Gaza.” The American president and the Israeli prime minister also “discussed ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release of hostages, including Americans who are missing and who may be in the hands of Hamas.” The two leaders agreed to continue “regular consultations directly and through their national security teams.”
It was the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal, that pushed for the restoration of telephone and Internet communications in Gaza that Israel had interrupted before the start of ground operations. The pressure is described by a senior American official: Washington was clear with Israel that communications needed to be restored. This occurred on the morning of October 29, thus making it possible once again for the UN agencies, which had remained isolated, and other international humanitarian organizations to resume coordination for aid in Gaza.
Thousands of people broke into several warehouses and distribution centers of the UN agency UNRWA in the central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip, taking away wheat flour and other basic necessities such as hygiene supplies. “This is a worrying sign that civil order is starting to collapse after three weeks of war and a tight siege in Gaza – explains the agency -. People are scared, frustrated and desperate”, said Thomas White, director of the UNRWA affairs in the Gaza Strip.
“The supplies on the market are running out while the humanitarian aid arriving in the Gaza Strip in trucks from Egypt is insufficient. The needs of the communities are immense, even just for basic survival, while the aid we receive is scarce and inconsistent,” White added.
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