Israel bombarded targets in Gaza after the United States blocked an extraordinary UN bid for a ceasefire in the war with Hamas that has triggered alerts of an "apocalyptic" humanitarian situation. Aid workers say Gaza's humanitarian system is on the verge of collapse, as disease and starvation threaten.

Richard Peeperkorn, the WHO's representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, said that since the start of the war, there had been 120,000 acute respiratory infections; close to 26,000 people with scabies and lice; 86,000 cases of diarrhea, including 44,000 among children aged under five, which he said was 20 to...

Jerusalem -  Plans to release another group of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners suffered a setback on Saturday, the second day of a four-day truce after seven weeks of war.On Friday evening the Palestinian group freed 13 Israelis, along with an unexpected 10 Thais and one Filipino, and...

Cairo, Egypt - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday said she was opposed to the "forced displacement of Palestinians" during a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.Von der Leyen "thanked Egypt for its key role in providing and facilitating humanitarian aid to vulnerable Palestinians", during...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The UAE is building three desalination plants in Rafah to supply Gaza with water as part of its 'Gallant Knight 3' humanitarian operation.The production capacity of each plant is 200,000 gallons per day with a total of 600,000 gallons, benefiting 300,000 people per day.'Gallant Knight 3'...

Tel Aviv, Israel - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suspended its military operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, near the border with Egypt, for four hours for humanitarian aid, said Avichay Adraee, the IDF spokesperson for the Arab media."We will allow a tactical pause in fighting in Rafah...

According to the official, the Rafah crossing point remained closed because Israel refused to approve the list of wounded who were to be evacuated. As a result no wounded Palestinians or dual nationals were evacuated on Wednesday from Gaza to Egypt. The crossing reopened on November 1 to allow people...

United Nations, - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday alleged violations of international law as Israel pounds Gaza, and urged an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to bring in relief."I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza. Let me be clear: No...

There have also been increasing cross-border exchanges of fire along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, between Israeli troops and Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas.

A rare delivery of fuel enters the Palestinian territory; Netanyahu says Hezbollah will make "mistake of its life" if its starts a war with Israel and US says it will "take appropriate action" in response to any escalation in the Middle East.

Washington, US - The United States on Saturday welcomed the arrival of aid trucks from Egypt in the war-torn Gaza Strip, and urged all parties to keep the Rafah crossing open.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged "all parties to keep the Rafah crossing open to enable the continued movement of...

The first aid trucks arrived in the war-torn Gaza Strip from Egypt, AFP journalists said, bringing desperately needed humanitarian relief to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave under Israeli siege. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the group carried out the deadliest attack in the country's history on October 7.

"We are in deep and advanced negotiations with all relevant sides to ensure that an aid operation in Gaza starts as quickly as possible... a first delivery is due to start in the next day or so," the UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said, quoted by his spokesman Jens Laerke...

US president said the aid convoy would be allowed to go into Gaza from the Rafah crossing in a first batch of humanitarian aid. According to him, the shipment would likely not cross until Friday as the road at the crossing needed repairs. It became possible only after Egypt's president...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Egypt and Israel have agreed to let US citizens leave the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing on Saturday as Israel carries out strikes against Hamas, a US official said.The two US partners agreed to keep the sole crossing from Gaza to Egypt open from 12:00 pm...

Geneva, Switzerland - The World Health Organization said on Saturday enough basic health supplies to serve 300,000 people in the Gaza Strip have been flown to an Egyptian airport near the Palestinian enclave.The supplies were ready to go in once humanitarian access could be established through the Rafah crossing from Egypt...

The two plants will be built in the new cities of Rafah and Bir al Abed in North Sinai.