Second Aid Convoy to Gaza Met with Blast as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens amidst Ongoing Israeli-Hamas Conflict

In a continuing effort to provide aid to the Gaza Strip, a second convoy of aid trucks entered the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Sunday. However, the arrival of the convoy was met with a blast that injured seven people, according to witnesses and medical sources. The blast was reportedly caused by an accidental firing from an Israeli tank near the border. Israel has expressed regret over the incident and an investigation is currently underway. The convoy, consisting of around 19 trucks carrying medical and food supplies, had been inspected by the UN's Palestinian refugee agency. This follows a first convoy of 20 trucks that entered Gaza on Saturday.

Distribution of these supplies began on Sunday, but aid officials are warning of a looming humanitarian disaster as essential resources like food, water, and fuel continue to dwindle. The UN estimates that at least 100 trucks a day would be needed to adequately cover the urgent needs in Gaza. Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group enters its 16th day. Israel has declared its intention to intensify its strikes in the besieged Gaza Strip as part of a three-stage plan aimed at gaining control over the Palestinian region.

According to the Israeli Defense Forces, the final phase of this plan involves changing the security regime in Gaza. On the diplomatic front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. During the meeting, Netanyahu emphasized the need to combat what he called "barbarism" and characterized the conflict as a battle between the forces of civilization and "monstrous barbarians" responsible for various atrocities. Prime Minister Meloni expressed Italy's support for Israel.

The situation at the Egypt-Gaza border briefly opened to allow a limited amount of much-needed aid into the besieged territory. However, the amount of aid permitted was deemed insufficient to address the severe humanitarian crisis. Over 200 trucks carrying 3,000 tons of aid are waiting nearby to enter Gaza. In a significant escalation of violence, Israel reported airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, while there was an exchange of fire in several areas along the Lebanese border. This comes as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza.

The conflict was triggered by a surprise attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people, mostly civilians. In response, Israel initiated a "total siege of Gaza." According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israel's airstrikes and missile strikes have claimed the lives of at least 4,651 Palestinians, including hundreds of children, and forced over a million residents to be displaced. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing updates available as the conflict unfolds.