Emergency humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza from Egypt on 22nd October in response to the ongoing Israeli bombardment that tragically claimed the lives of numerous Palestinians overnight. The United Nations confirmed that a group of 20 trucks, carried essential life-saving supplies intended for delivery to the Palestinian Red Crescent. Hamas stated that the aid shipment includes medicine and limited quantities of food but unfortunately that does not contain any fuel.
Meanwhile, Israel made a statement on Friday, 21st October, that Hamas released an American woman and her teenage daughter who had been held hostage in Gaza. This event marks the first case of release among the approximately 200 individuals who were kidnaped by the militant group during its activities on October 7. Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, are now in Israeli military custody. Hamas spotlighted the humanitarian excuse for their release as a chunk of an agreement with the Qatari government.
According to a Reuters news report, Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, has stated that it will not engage in discussions regarding the fate of Israeli army captives until Israel ceases its actions in the Gaza Strip. Hamas official Osama Hamdan, speaking from Lebanon, conveyed this during a televised press conference, clarifying that their position on Israeli army captives is linked to a potential prisoner exchange and will only be considered once Israel ends its operations in Gaza and against Palestinians.
Express’ Diplomatic Editor, Shubhajit Roy, went to Israel, traveling from the Gaza border in southern Israel to the West Bank. He found that both sides are deeply hurt because their loved ones and the places they call home and their country are being attacked. “Right now, things are really serious. Just like in many complicated places, different people have different opinions about everything,” he explained.
On Thursday afternoon, a procession of ambulances, civilian vehicles, and military trucks made a solemn entrance into the deserted village, passing through its burnt streets until they reached the sandy cemetery. From these ambulances, grieving individuals retrieved six wooden coffins. These coffins held members of the Siman Tov family, all of whom tragically lost their lives during a massacre that occurred in the village on October 7. A massive group of at least 1,500 assailants crossed over from the Gaza Strip into Israel, moving through border communities like Kibbutz Nir Oz. Their attack resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 people and the kidnapping of approximately 200 others.
