Israeli settlers closed the Ouga border crossing between Egypt and Israel to prevent aid from reaching Gaza, and protested in front of its main gate from the Israeli side according to media outlets including the Saudi Al-Arabiya.
Since the start of sending humanitarian aid to Gaza on October 21, Israel has continually placed obstacles.
Amongst these is the requirement that aid be sent first from Rafah border crossing to Ouga commercial crossing between Egypt and Israel to be examined and inspected, and then sent to the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing again – a journey that takes about 100 kilometers.
Israeli Army Minister to quit
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz meanwhile reported an official with the National Unity party, led by former IDF Chief of Staff Israeli Army Minister Benny Gantz, saying that the latter could leave the emergency government that was formed after the “al-Aqsa Flood” operation on October 7.
The official added that the decision of Gantz to quit, who has become widely popular with Netanyahu’s noticeable decline, is related to the latter’s announcement of “military rule” in Gaza.
In mid-January, the Israeli Channel 12 revealed that Gantz presented a “list of demands” to Netanyahu, in order to remain in the war cabinet.
Up to 17,000 children in Gaza separated from families
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced Friday that its estimates indicate that 17,000 children in Gaza are orphaned or have been separated from their families.
The organization’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, described the situation as becoming more depressing day after day, and implored the world not to abandon these children.
Bombings continue
On the ground, Israel has continued its aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Bombings and clashes continued in the vicinity of al-Amal Hospital in the city, in addition to blowing up a residential square in Gizan Abu Rashwan, south of Khan Yunis.
Civil defense crews and volunteers recovered 12 people from under the rubble of their house, coinciding with continuous Israeli artillery shelling in the Taiba Towers area of the city.
The European Hospital received casualties following the occupation’s bombing of a house in the vicinity of the hospital.
Israeli vessels targeted the seashore of the city of Rafah, after occupation warplanes launched violent raids on the city.
In the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli aircraft targeted the vicinity of the Sheikh Zayed area, in addition to bombing Gaza City.
Crew vanishes while aiding child
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated that it had been over 89 hours since it last heard from the two paramedics, Youssef Zaino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, dispatched to rescue a six year old girl, Hind Rajab.
It appealed to the international community to intervene and pressure Israeli occupation authorities to uncover what happened to the girl and the paramedics.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Friday that the Israeli occupation had committed 13 massacres within 24 hours, claiming the lives of 112 people.
