Rafah border receives large Egyptian-Arab aid convoy to Gaza
The convoy includes 20 vehicles of medicines and supplies from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Morocco. It was escorted by delegations of popular and media figures under excessive security measures.
Rafah crossing was opened all day Thursday and received 232 individuals, including injured and stranded Palestinians and 80 tons of medicines and medical assistances from United Arab Emirates.
Another humanitarian aid convoy passed to the Gaza Strip Thursday via Rafah border crossing after waiting for four hours because it did not have official pass permission.
The border was opened a number of times to transfer the injured Palestinians from Gaza to be treated in Arish Hospital. Several aid convoys were also allowed to pass into Gaza since the Israeli military’s offensive that began more than two weeks ago. The Israeli bombardment, claimed to be initiated against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which so far left 815 deaths and 5,260 injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Thirty-two Israelis were reportedly killed since the beginning of the offensive, AP reported.
Probe into ‘war crimes’ during Israel’s offensive
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) decided Wednesday to start a probe into Israel’s offensive on Gaza after launching an international inquiry into human rights violations and crimes that might have been committed by Israel.
Among the 17 attending states, the United States was the only country that voted against the resolution, while 29 voted yes and 17 abstained.
UNHRC said the Israeli assault involved “disproportionate and indiscriminate attacks,” according to Reuters.
The decision was made after a U.N. school in Gaza, crowded with hundreds of Palestinians seeking refuge from fierce fighting, was bombed Thursday. At least 15 civilians were killed, including one U.N. staff, according to AP.
Palestinian officials blamed Israel for shelling the school, however Israel denied and said the compound might have been hit by Hamas rockets.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the deadly attack, calling for a stop to the ongoing killing.
Ban, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond were in Cairo Thursday amid international negotiations aiming for a week-long ceasefire.
Egypt proposed an initiative calling to ceasefire from both Israel and Palestine’s Hamas, which was rejected by Hamas and accepted by Israel. The initiative was widely welcomed by different countries that found the Egyptian proposal as the best one on ground so far.
Additional reporting by Mohamed Hussein and Aya Samir.
