GAZA STRIP: On the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, deadly conflict rages in Gaza, with little sign of a truce and a severe humanitarian crisis engulfing the besieged Palestinian territory.
According to two Egyptian security sources who spoke to Reuters on Sunday, Egypt announced that it was in communication with senior Hamas and Israeli officials as well as other mediators in an attempt to recommence talks for a ceasefire.
The sources stated, without offering more information, that Egypt’s interactions with Israeli intelligence services Mossad and Hamas on Sunday were conducted pursuant to an order from the Egyptian presidency in an attempt to reconcile the opposing views of the two parties.
The US, Qatar, and Egypt have been attempting to broker a cease-fire; however, the most recent round of negotiations—which Israel was not present for—broke apart in Cairo earlier this week.
As the death toll in Gaza approaches 31,000, the King of Saudi Arabia demands an end to the “brutal crimes.”
After Israel sought a complete list of the prisoners still alive and Hamas demanded that Israel withdraw all of its troops from Gaza, both sides have pointed the finger at one another for the failure to negotiate a ceasefire agreement thus far.
UN agencies warn that food aid airdropped into besieged Gaza by US, Jordanian, and other planes is well short of what the 2.4 million people living there need as starvation threatens in some areas.
31,045 persons, largely women and children, have died as a result of Israel’s heavy bombardment and ground assault on Gaza, leaving large areas of the territory destroyed by bombs, according to the health ministry in Gaza on Sunday.
At least 23 children have died from starvation and dehydration, according to the Gaza health ministry’s announcement on Sunday.
Scarcity of drinking water
Palestinians who had been internally displaced were waiting in line for a vehicle that carried limited drinking water, which they then filled into plastic containers and jerry cans.
“We can hardly get water these days, so what about the impending Ramadan?” Mentioned Nesreen Abu Yussef, a woman.
“Our children are getting dizzy, and there are sick children in the camp who need sugar and protein,” she remarked. “I swear, we haven’t seen a single egg or piece of meat in the last five months.”
According to the health ministry, 81 bodies arrived in Gaza’s barely operating hospitals over the course of the night as fighting and bombardment resumed.
Earlier, the army dropped pamphlets with images of Hamas leaders chowing down on a sumptuous dinner. Attallah al-Satel, a man from Gaza, asked AFP, “What is the aim of this leaflet? We’re looking for a way to end the conflict. Simply put, we are worn out citizens.
Masjid Al Aqsa
Tens of thousands of Muslims are anticipated daily at the Al Aqsa mosque site in Jerusalem’s Old City, where thousands of police have been stationed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that the number of admissions would be comparable to the previous year following some uncertainty last month when hard-right Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated he wanted limitations at Al Aqsa mosque.
The religious organization that is in charge of Al Aqsa, the Jerusalem Waqf, directed general Azzam Al-Khatib, saying, “This is our mosque and we must take care of it.” “We have a duty to safeguard the Muslims’ presence here; they have a right to peaceful, secure entry in large numbers.”
King Salman wants “brutal crimes” to end
Salman bin Abdulaziz, the King of Saudi Arabia, declared on Sunday that in order to stop what he called “brutal crimes” against Palestinians in Gaza, the international community had to take responsibility.
The monarch also stated that the world community needs to assist in ensuring safe passageways for humanitarian aid in the enclave in a speech that was read aloud on his behalf by Saudi Minister of Media Salman al-Dosari to commemorate the beginning of Ramadan.
