The Times of Israel is liveblogging Saturday’s events as they happen.
After ‘rocky start,’ UN says Gaza aid delivery operation from US pier has stabilized
UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says that after “a rocky start” the operation to deliver aid that arrived from a US-built pier is stabilized and 97 trucks made it to the World Food Program warehouse though some had been looted.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric tells reporters that the looting – which he called hungry people self-distributing aid – took place in the first two days.
The first aid transported by sea that used the US floating dock arrived on Friday. But on Saturday, 11 of the 16 trucks in an aid convoy were stripped of food and other humanitarian items en route to a UN World Food Program warehouse in Deir Al-Balah.
Operations were halted on Sunday and Monday but resumed Tuesday and Dujarric says WFP found various other routes to get to the warehouse, where 97 trucks have arrived. No trucks were lost, he stresses.
From the warehouse, he says, WFP has notified UN agencies, non-UN agencies and international humanitarian organizations that the goods can be picked up for delivery to needy Palestinians. Some food has also been sent to large feeding kitchens, he says.
“I think the operation is very much stabilized,” Dujarric says.
But he stresses that deliveries via the US floating dock, while helpful, cannot replace what the UN wants to see – massive aid coming into Gaza through land routes.
US says Blinken spoke with Gantz, reiterated Biden’s position on Rafah operation
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated President Joe Biden position on “a major Rafah operation” when he spoke with Israeli Minister Benny Gantz on Friday, the US State Department says.
The readout comes after the International Court of Justice ruling on Rafah echoes remarks by a White House spokesperson, with the administration yet to give a detailed response to the court’s decision.
Blinken also discussed importance of Israel and Egypt concluding talks to reopen Rafah the crossing as soon as possible, the department says.
There is no immediate statement from Gantz’s office on the call.
White House on ICJ ruling: Our position on Rafah is ‘clear and consistent’
In response to Friday’s International Court of Justice ruling, a White House National Security Council spokesperson says that “we’ve been clear and consistent on our position on Rafah,” without elaborating.
The significant but somewhat ambiguous ICJ ruling calls on Israel to halt military operations in Rafah that would risk the destruction of the civilian population sheltering there. According to the interpretation of four judges, the order is a limited one instructing Israel not to violate the Genocide Convention in Rafah, not halt its military operations there altogether.
The US administration has repeatedly stated it opposes a major Israeli offensive in Rafah, with President Joe Biden pausing a shipment of bombs over concerns Israel might use them as part of the operation, while National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this week that Israel’s military activities have not reached the level Washington warned against.
IDF says rocket barrage fired from Lebanon at northern towns, causing damage but no injuries
A barrage of some 20 rockets was launched from Lebanon at northern Israel about an hour ago, the military says.
Several rockets struck Manara and Dovev, causing damage but no injuries.
The IDF says it shelled the launch sites.
Additional, a “suspicious aerial target” was intercepted by air defenses over the northern community of Dishon, the military says.
Separately, fighter jets struck several buildings used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon’s Souaneh and Ramyeh, and other infrastructure in Yaroun; and a drone hit a group of Hezbollah operatives in Hanine, the military adds.
The IDF publishes footage of the latter strike.
לפני זמן קצר מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר תקפו מספר מבנים צבאיים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחבים א-צוונה ורמיה, לצד תשתית טרור של הארגון במרחב יארון.
כלי טיס של חיל האוויר תקף מחבלים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב חנין שבדרום לבנון>> pic.twitter.com/ojhL9dSgTo
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 24, 2024