"The only border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was expected to open on Wednesday to allow hundreds of trucks carrying desperately needed aid into the devastated Palestinian territory. Aid agencies said they were hoping for a surge in humanitarian assistance, especially to the north of Gaza, to where more than 300,000 displaced people have returned in recent days. Thousands of tonnes of aid, including food and medical supplies, is already loaded on trucks waiting in Egypt or has been stockpiled elsewhere in the region,"
"The fragile ceasefire in Gaza had faced its first test when Israel on Tuesday accused Hamas of failing to comply with the deal signed last week with Hamas by delaying the return the bodies of hostages. In retaliation, Israel said it would cut the number of trucks it would allow into Gaza to 300, half the total agreed in the ceasefire deal, and postpone indefinitely the opening of the Rafah crossing."
"Hours later, Hamas handed over the remains of three more hostages to the Red Cross, bringing to eight the number of bodies transferred since the US-brokered ceasefire took hold, and leaving 21 to be accounted for. The militant Islamist organisation said the delays were due to difficulties locating burial sites amid the swaths of rubble left by the two-year conflict."
"A fourth body transferred by Hamas was found not to be that of a hostage. According to KAN, Israel's public broadcaster, the decision to reopen Rafah came after Israel was informed of Hamas's intention to return four more bodies on Wednesday, a move not yet confirmed by the group. Vehicles transporting the bodies of four hostages arrive at the national forensic medicine centre in Tel Aviv on Wednesday."
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was set to open Wednesday to permit hundreds of aid trucks into Gaza, with thousands of tonnes of food and medical supplies already loaded or stockpiled nearby. More than 300,000 displaced people have returned to northern Gaza in recent days, increasing demand for humanitarian assistance. The ceasefire was strained after Israel accused Hamas of delaying the return of hostage bodies, prompting Israel to announce a cut to 300 trucks and an indefinite postponement of the crossing opening. Hamas later handed over remains of hostages and cited difficulties locating burial sites amid widespread rubble.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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