In the coming days, the US wanted to join other countries, such as Jordan, in airdropping food and other aid. The US also wanted to explore the possibility of a maritime corridor to bring large amounts of aid to the Gaza Strip, Biden said. He will also “insist” with the Israeli government that more aid convoys be allowed to enter Palestinian territory.
The aid delivered to the Gaza Strip so far is “far from enough”, said the US President. “Innocent lives are at stake, children’s lives are at stake.”
US is planning air aid deliveries
The US wants to provide aid to the civilian population of Gaza. Along with Jordan and other countries, food and aid supplies will be air-dropped.
Kirby: Large-scale operation planned
According to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, the US government is planning a large-scale operation that is expected to last weeks. Providing humanitarian aid in such a densely populated area is “extremely difficult”. The Ministry of Defense faces a “difficult military operation” that must be carefully planned to ensure the safety of the US soldiers involved, as well as that of Palestinian civilians.
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Pressure on Israel for a ceasefire is increasing
Fatal incident during aid delivery
There was a crush in Gaza City on Thursday as thousands of people gathered around a convoy of 38 humanitarian aid trucks. The Israeli military said there were dozens of deaths and injuries, some of whom were run over by trucks. An army officer acknowledged a “limited” number of shots fired by Israeli soldiers who felt “threatened”.
The radical Islamic group Hamas spoke of a “massacre” in which at least 115 people were killed and more than 750 were injured. There is no independent confirmation. A United Nations team reported on Friday that it saw “numerous” people with “gunshot wounds” during a visit to Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. .
The fatal incident caused international outrage and criticism. There were also calls for a thorough investigation – as well as renewed calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Continue the fight for a ceasefire
Biden said on Friday after his meeting with Meloni that he hoped for a ceasefire before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. “I hope so, we are still working hard on it,” he said as he left the White House in response to a question from journalists. “We’re not there yet.” Ramadan starts on March 10 or 11 this year.
debate
What might the future of the Gaza Strip be like?
Biden said earlier this week that he expected a ceasefire between the Israeli army and the Palestinian radical Islamic organization Hamas by next Monday. The president later admitted that this was not likely.
The government of the Gulf emirate of Qatar has stated that the aim is for the ceasefire to come into force before the start of Ramadan. Along with the US and Egypt, Qatar is one of the mediators in the difficult ceasefire negotiations.
Continuous obstacle reporting
Israel also does not want to participate in a new round of negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the USA until Hamas presents a list of hostages still alive, the news portal Axios recently reported. Hamas has also not yet responded to the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons proposed by mediators that Israel would release in exchange for the release of a certain number of hostages.
All these questions remained unanswered even after three days of talks in Qatar's capital Doha, the portal said citing an unnamed Israeli official.