4 attackers killed in an attempt to infiltrate Lebanon – L’Express

Meeting in Tirana in Albania as part of the Berlin process, the EU announced the imminent establishment of a humanitarian corridor to the Gaza Strip. The United States and Israel are also discussing a humanitarian aid plan while Russia is pleading at the UN for a humanitarian ceasefire.

Humanitarian aid convoys stationed in Al-Arich, capital of Egyptian North Sinai, took the road on Tuesday morning towards Rafah, a border post towards Gaza bombed by Israel, while an agreement on the entry of the Aid has been stalling for days, humanitarians report.

“We have arrived at the terminal and we are now waiting for the next step,” reports Heba Rashed, who runs an Egyptian NGO, Mersal, as hundreds of other trucks crowd the forty-kilometer road between Al-Arich and Rafah, according to other humanitarians.

Nearly 500,000 Israelis have been internally displaced since the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7, an Israeli army spokesperson said at a press briefing on Tuesday. Southern Israel as well as all communities near the Gaza Strip have been evacuated, following government directives. “We did the same in the north where 20 localities near the border were evacuated,” said Jonathan Conricus.

“Most of these people left on their own initiative and now there is an evacuation of the southern town of Sderot.” “We do not want civilians near combat zones. Above all, we want to protect our citizens against the devastating effects of war,” he added.

The resolution rejected by the UN Security Council on Monday evening concerns a “humanitarian ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas proposed by Russia, at the time when Joe Biden’s visit to Israel was announced on Wednesday.

The Security Council will meet Tuesday evening to decide on a second text submitted this time by Brazil. The Russian draft resolution was approved by five member states of the Council – including Russia and China –, rejected by four others (United States, United Kingdom, France and Japan) and six abstained, including Brazil .

Joe Biden, who will visit Israel on Wednesday, will also go to Amman, Jordan, where he will meet King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, a door said Monday – White House spokesperson.

There will be discussions on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and President Biden “will reiterate our belief that Hamas does not represent the vast majority of the Palestinian people, who are also victims,” ​​said John Kirby, spokesman for US National Security Council.

While the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced Monday evening the imminent establishment of a humanitarian corridor towards the Gaza Strip, the United States and Israel will also work on a plan to allow the international humanitarian aid to enter the 365km2 territory, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday.

“At our request, the United States and Israel have agreed to develop a plan that will allow humanitarian assistance from donor countries and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza,” Blinken said after close eight hours of interviews with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the US military has reportedly selected nearly 2,000 soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment in support of Israel, US defense officials said. The troops are notably responsible for missions such as advice and medical support, they specified. For the moment, they are not intended to serve in a combat unit. No infantry was placed in readiness for deployment.

The troops are currently stationed in and around the Middle East, including Europe, the officials said. The circumstances of the deployment are still unclear but the Pentagon’s decision indicates that it is preparing to support Israeli troops if Israel launches a ground incursion into Gaza.