US SAYS GAZA PIER READY
The war broke out after the Oct 7 attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
The militants also seized about 250 hostages, 128 of whom Israel estimates remain in Gaza, including 38 the military says are dead.
Israel’s devastating military retaliation has killed at least 35,272 people, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
An Israeli siege on Gaza has brought dire shortages of food as well as safe water, medicines and fuel for its 2.4 million people. The threat of famine hangs over parts of the war-ravaged territory.
The arrival of occasional aid convoys has slowed to a trickle since Israeli forces took control last week of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing.
The US military said Thursday it had completed a temporary pier on Gaza’s coast, part of a project to ship in relief supplies from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
US Central Command said it expected around 500 tonnes of aid to be delivered on board several ships over the coming days.
But Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres, said negotiations were still ongoing on how the aid would be distributed after Washington ruled out any involvement by its troops.
