US forces working with Israel on Gaza aid, Israeli official says

US forces working with Israel on Gaza aid, Israeli official says
While the truce was meant to unleash a torrent of aid across the tiny, crowded enclave, humanitarian agencies said last week that far too little aid is reaching Gaza. (AFP)
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US forces working with Israel on Gaza aid, Israeli official says

US forces working with Israel on Gaza aid, Israeli official says
  • Washington Post reported US-led body would oversee aid
  • Humanitarian agencies say too little aid is getting in

JERUSALEM: US forces are taking part in overseeing and coordinating aid transfer into the Gaza Strip together with Israel as part of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, an Israeli security official said on Saturday.
The Washington Post on Friday reported that the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) will replace Israel in overseeing aid into Gaza. It cited a US official and people familiar with the matter as saying Israel was part of the process but that CMCC would decide what aid enters Gaza and how.
The Israeli security official said that Israeli security services remain part of policy, supervision and monitoring with decisions made jointly, and that the integration of the CMCC was already underway.
The US embassy in Israel and CMCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Aid agencies say too little aid getting in
Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed a month ago to a first phase of a plan presented by Trump. It paused a devastating two-year war in Gaza triggered by a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023, and secured a deal to release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The CMCC began operating from southern Israel in late October, tasked with helping aid flow and stabilizing security in Gaza, according to the US Central Command.
While the truce was meant to unleash a torrent of aid across the tiny, crowded enclave where famine was confirmed in August and where almost all the 2.3 million inhabitants have lost their homes, humanitarian agencies said last week that far too little aid is reaching Gaza.
Israel says it is fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, which calls for an average of 600 trucks of supplies into Gaza per day. Reuters reported on October 23 that Washington is considering new proposals for humanitarian aid delivery.
The Israeli official said that the United States will lead coordination with the international community, with restrictions still in place on the list of non-governmental organizations supplying aid and the entry of so-called dual-use items, which Israel considers to have both civilian and military use.


EU condemns Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Updated 30 sec ago

EU condemns Israeli strikes in Lebanon

EU condemns Israeli strikes in Lebanon
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Saturday condemned Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and asked it to respect a ceasefire with the militant group Hezbollah.
Israel conducted fresh attacks in southern Lebanon on Thursday, claiming to target the Iran-backed organization and accusing the group of rearming.
“The EU calls on Israel to cease all actions that violate resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement reached a year ago in November 2024,” the EU’s foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni stated.
“At the same time, we urge all Lebanese actors and especially Hezbollah to refrain from any measures or responses that could further inflame the situation,” he added.
“Focus by all parties must be on preserving the ceasefire and the progress achieved so far.”
The Israeli army had previously told residents of four villages to evacuate buildings, warning that it planned to target Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
The Lebanese army has accused Israel of seeking to “undermine Lebanon’s stability” with Thursday’s strikes and to “prevent the completion of the army’s deployment” in line with the ceasefire.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has condemned the Israeli strikes, as has Iran, which on Friday called them “savage” attacks and appealed for the international community to intervene.
Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war, but all the recent armed conflicts with Israel were fought by Hezbollah, not the Lebanese military.
Hezbollah was the only movement in Lebanon that refused to disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war, first claiming it had a duty to liberate territory occupied by Israel, and then to continue defending the country.
The group is backed by Iran, which also fought its own war against Israel earlier this year.