Israel Begins Ground Offensive in Gaza

Israel has launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, following weeks of airstrikes. The move is expected to further escalate the conflict and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the region.

The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday, October 21, 2022, to allow a limited amount of aid into the besieged Palestinian territory. This was the first time the crossing had been opened since Israel sealed it off and began airstrikes following Hamas's bloody rampage two weeks ago.

Only 20 trucks were allowed into Gaza, an amount aid workers said was insufficient to address the unprecedented humanitarian crisis. More than 200 trucks carrying 3,000 tons of aid have been waiting nearby for days. Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians, half of whom have fled their homes, are rationing food and drinking dirty water. Hospitals say they are running low on medical supplies and fuel for emergency generators amid a territory-wide power blackout. Five hospitals have stopped functioning because of fuel shortages and bombing damage, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said.

Growing Expectations of a Ground Offensive

There are growing expectations of a ground offensive that Israel says would be aimed at rooting out Hamas. Israel said on Friday that it doesn't plan to take long-term control over the small but densely populated Palestinian territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his Cabinet late Saturday to discuss the expected invasion, Israeli media reported.

Buffer Zone Proposal

Yifat Shasha-Biton, a Cabinet minister, said there was broad consensus in the government that there will have to be a "buffer zone" in Gaza to keep Palestinians away from the border. "We need to create a distance between the border and our communities," she told Channel 13 TV, adding that no decisions had been made on its size or other specifics.

High-Level Diplomacy

The opening of Rafah came after more than a week of high-level diplomacy, including visits to the region by US President Joe Biden and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Israel had insisted nothing would enter Gaza until Hamas released all the captives from its October 7 attack on towns in southern Israel.

First Captives Released

Late Friday, Hamas freed its first captives — an American woman and her teenage daughter. It was not immediately clear if there was a connection between the release and the aid deliveries. Israel says Hamas is still holding at least 210 hostages, though their conditions — and if they are even alive — remains unknown.

Trucks Carrying Aid

On Saturday morning, 20 trucks were seen heading north from Rafah to Deir al-Balah, a quiet farming town where many evacuees from the north have sought shelter. Hundreds of foreign passport holders at Rafah hoping to escape the conflict were not allowed to leave. The trucks were carrying 44,000 bottles of drinking water — enough for 22,000 people for a single day, it said. "This first, limited water will save lives, but the needs are immediate and immense," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. The World Health Organisation said four of the trucks were carrying medical supplies, including trauma medicine and portable trauma bags for first responders.

International Concern

The situation is catastrophic in Gaza," the head of the UNs World Food Programme, Cindy McCain, told The Associated Press. "We need many, many, many more trucks and a continual flow of aid, she said, adding that some 400 trucks were entering Gaza daily before the war.Gazas Hamas-run government called for a secure corridor operating around the clock.

Humanitarian Situation

The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said "the humanitarian situation in Gaza is under control." He said the aid would be delivered only to southern Gaza, where the army has ordered people to relocate, adding that no fuel would enter.Biden said the United States "remains committed to ensuring that civilians in Gaza will continue to have access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance, without diversion by Hamas".The US government would work to keep Rafah open and let US citizens leave Gaza, he said in a statement.Guterres gave voice to international concern over civilians in Gaza, telling a summit in Cairo that Hamas "reprehensible assault" on Israel "can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people".

Ceasefire Negotiations

At the summit on Saturday, Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi called for ensuring aid to Gaza, negotiating a cease-fire and resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which broke down more than a decade ago. He also said the conflict would never be resolved "at the expense of Egypt", referring to fears Israel may try to push Gazas population into the Sinai Peninsula.King Abdullah II of Jordan said Israels attacks on Gaza were "a war crime" and slammed the international communitys response."Anywhere else, attacking civilian infrastructure and deliberately starving an entire population of food, water, electricity, and basic necessities would be condemned," he said.

The limited opening of the Rafah border crossing is a small step towards addressing the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, much more aid is needed to meet the needs of the 2.3 million Palestinians living in the besieged territory. The international community must continue to press for a ceasefire and a lasting resolution to the conflict that has caused so much suffering.