Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism
At the same time, Saudi relief efforts continued on the ground. On Wednesday, seven more trucks crossed through the Rafah crossing carrying food aid from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the total volume of Saudi aid delivered to Gaza has now reached 7,188 tonnes, including 20 ambulances.
However, the Central Emergency Committee in Gaza voiced frustration over official Egyptian claims about aid volumes, arguing that the reported daily entry of hundreds of trucks does not reflect the actual situation observed by local authorities. The committee called for the immediate, unconditional reopening of the Rafah crossing and denounced the 'complicated and humiliating coordination process' that continues to block the entry of vital medical supplies and fuel.
In parallel, Belgium announced it will join the international airdrop initiative coordinated by Jordan, sending a plane with medical and food supplies valued at around €600,000 (approximately $690,000). The aircraft will remain stationed in Jordan, ready for coordinated deliveries into Gaza.
Meanwhile, Gaza's Ministry of Health reported seven more deaths from famine within the past 24 hours, raising the total famine-related death toll to 154, including 89 children. The territory remains under a severe blockade, with limited and sporadic humanitarian access.
On the military front, Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for targeting an Israeli military position in Khan Younis with three 'barrel bombs,' stating the attack caused casualties among Israeli troops. Inside Israel, the conflict's toll on soldiers has become increasingly visible: Haaretz reported a sharp increase in suicides among Israeli soldiers and officers, with 24 taking their own lives in 2024, seven of them since the start of the war on Gaza. The newspaper cited a shortage of mental health professionals and inadequate psychological support as contributing factors.
Controversy also erupted in Israel after Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu suggested reclassifying Israeli hostages held in Gaza as 'prisoners of war' and postponing efforts to secure their release until Israel achieves military victory. His remarks provoked strong backlash from the public and relatives of the captives.
Separately, Morocco's Foreign Ministry announced that King Mohammed VI had formally requested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow Moroccan humanitarian aid to enter Gaza via Israel's Ben Gurion Airport and then through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
At the United Nations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank appears aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians. The UN called on Israel to halt violence, discriminatory practices, and its continued occupation of Palestinian territories, reiterating that all settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, meanwhile, expressed deep concern over US sanctions imposed on her for her outspoken criticism of the war in Gaza. Speaking from Rome to the Associated Press, Albanese described the sanctions as 'a dangerous development' that could hinder her work.
On the diplomatic front, more than 20 countries attending the International Conference on the Two-State Solution in New York issued a joint statement reaffirming their vision for a peaceful resolution. Co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, and supported by Egypt, the EU, and others, the statement underscored the need for a viable Palestinian state. Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that his country will officially recognise the State of Palestine during the upcoming UN General Assembly session, following similar announcements by Britain and France.
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