Israel has been urging civilians in Gaza to move south as it intensifies its airstrikes on the northern and central areas of the strip. On October 18th, Israeli forces advised residents in northern Gaza to evacuate to the town of Al-Mawasi in the south, stating that it is now a “humanitarian area.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) called on residents to evacuate to Al-Mawasi, where international humanitarian aid will be provided. The IDF recommended evacuating to open areas in western Khan Yunis as well. It is unclear if this announcement means that Israel will allow aid from Egypt into Gaza through the Rafah crossing, which is not controlled by Israel.
There was no immediate response from Israeli officials regarding the entry of aid into Gaza, but US President Joe Biden stated that Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah El Sisi agreed to open the Rafah border crossing to allow 20 trucks of humanitarian aid. President Biden noted that repairs to the roads and the inspection of aid could take up to eight hours. He also emphasized that the aid should not go to Hamas.
President Biden announced that the United States will provide $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank. The funding will help support those displaced by the conflict with essential needs like clean water, food, and medical care.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office agreed to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza in response to President Biden’s request. However, they stated that no humanitarian assistance from Israel’s territory will be allowed to reach the Gaza Strip as long as hostages are not returned. It is estimated that 200 Israeli hostages are being held by Hamas.
The death toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict has reached an estimated 4,361, with the majority being women and children, according to the United Nations. This figure does not include the hundreds of casualties from the blast at Gaza City’s Ahli Arab Hospital on Tuesday night.