White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters today that the agreement calling for a six-week ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas was still being negotiated. While US President Joe Biden said yesterday that the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians while delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza could complicate ongoing hostage negotiations, Kirby said: “It is still too early to determine whether yesterday's incident will influence the current discussions. Once the fighting has stopped.” Once the situation has reached a standstill, it will be possible to ensure a wider and freer flow of humanitarian aid and allow the gradual release of hostages, starting with women, the elderly and the wounded. We are determined to maintain control of the situation and continue to work tirelessly in the coming days.”
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The first shipment of humanitarian aid that the United States will parachute into Gaza in the coming days will consist mostly of food. This was assured by the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, during a briefing with Italian correspondents in the United States. “It will not be the only one and more will follow in the coming weeks,” he said. But that's not all, because the USA is also working on a maritime corridor to strengthen humanitarian aid for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. “It is an idea we have had for some time, but we are still working on it: however, it is crucial to have the support of regional partners and also the necessary infrastructure on the mainland to receive the delivery and the assistance to distribute,” he continued, adding that a maritime corridor would allow a much larger volume of aid to be sent than would be possible by air or land.