Israel Gaza war news updates: First Aid trucks enter Gaza through Rafah crossing from Egypt

The death toll in Gaza has risen to 4,385 dead with 13,651 injured since the conflict between Hamas and Israel escalated two weeks ago, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The dead include 1,756 children and 976 women, the health ministry added.

The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza has opened to let desperately needed aid flow to Palestinians for the first time since Israel sealed off the territory following Hamas’ bloody rampage two weeks ago.

Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians, half of whom have fled their homes, are rationing food and drinking filthy water. Hospitals say they are running low on medical supplies and fuel for emergency generators amid a territory-wide power blackout.

Israel has launched waves of airstrikes across the territory that have failed to stem ongoing Palestinian rocket fire into Israel.

The opening came after more than a week of high-level diplomacy by various mediators, including visits to the region by US President Joe Biden and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Israel had insisted that nothing would enter Gaza until some 200 people captured by Hamas were freed, and the Palestinian side of the crossing had been shut down by Israeli airstrikes.

More than 200 trucks carrying roughly 3,000 tons of aid, which had been positioned near the crossing for days, began heading into Gaza. Hundreds of foreign passport holders also waited to cross from Gaza to Egypt to escape the conflict.

Aid workers on the Egyptian side of the crossing could be seen chanting and clapping as trucks passed through the main gate to Gaza.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of central London on Saturday afternoon to show their support for Palestinians caught up in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.

Demonstrators sang pro-Palestine songs and waved placards calling for an end to Israel’s bombing of Gaza in response to Hamas’s terror attack earlier this month that killed 1,400 people.

Some of those present sang “from the river to sea, Palestine will be free” – a chant that Jewish community leaders have described as anti-semitic. Those who defend the slogan describe it as a “long-standing protest chant” that calls for a homeland for the Palestinian people.

The Metropolitan Police increased its estimate of the size of the protest in London to “up to 100,000” as of 2pm.

Thousands of protesters gathered at Marble Arch in central London on Saturday as part of a pro-Palestine march.

Attendees held signs that read “Freedom for Palestine” and “Stop Bombing Gaza”.

Chants included “Judaism yes, Zionism no, the state of Israel must go”, and “5, 6, 7, 8, Israel is a terrorist state”.

The platform at Marble Arch Tube station was briefly closed due to the crowds.

Starbucks accused a union representing thousands of its baristas of damaging the brand and endangering co-workers with a pro-Palestinian tweet. The CEO of a prominent tech conference is facing boycotts after he publicly suggested Israel was committing war crimes. Company bosses have vowed never to hire members of a university’s student groups that condemned Israel.

Meanwhile, Islamic rights advocates say much of the corporate response has minimized the suffering in Gaza, where thousands have died in Israeli airstrikes, and created an atmosphere of fear for workers who want to express support for Palestinians. Jewish groups have criticized tepid responses or slow reactions to the Oct. 7 Hamas rampage that killed 1,400 people in Israel and triggered the latest war.

The fallout from the Israel-Hamas war has spilled into workplaces everywhere, as top leaders of prominent companies weigh in with their views while workers complain their voices are not being heard. People from all ranks have been called out for speaking too forcefully — or not forcefully enough — making it nearly impossible to come up with a unifying message when passions run deep on all sides.

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna said on Saturday that a humanitarian corridor is needed to deliver aid to civilians in Gaza and its establishment could lead to a ceasefire.

“The distribution of aid to civilian populations, starting with the most vulnerable, assumes a humanitarian corridor, which can lead to a ceasefire,” she said at the Cairo Peace Summit hosted by Egypt on the escalating war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

She added that French president Emmanuel Macron had just announced 10 million euros ($10.59 million)of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, in addition to the 10 million euros that she announced last Sunday during a visit to Cairo.

James Cleverly said he has reminded the Israeli government of its “duty to respect international law”.

The foreign secretary repeated his support for the country’s “right to defend itself” against Hamas and to “secure the release of those kidnapped” by the terror group.

But, speaking at the Cairo Peace Summit, Mr Cleverly added: “We are also clear that we must work and they must work to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and that their actions are in accordance with international law.

“I have spoken directly to the Israeli Government about their duty to respect international law and the importance of preserving civilian lives in Gaza.”

James Cleverly said Israel’s war against Hamas is “probably the most challenging situation that I have had to deal with in my professional personal or political life”.

The foreign secretary said he suspects “I am not alone,” but said he believes countries can “work together to secure a future where Israelis and Palestinians live in peace”.

As Israel prepares a ground invasion of Gaza in retaliation against Hamas’s terrorist attacks, Mr Cleverly said: “We can and should work together to achieve that peaceful, sustainable, two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians not just living beside each other, but working with each other and securing peace for future children.”