The entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza will “likely” take place on October 21, 2023, according to the UN.

The entry of humanitarian aid for the population in the Gaza Strip could be achieved within a few hours, “probably tomorrow”, SaturdayUN Humanitarian Aid Coordination Office spokesperson Jens Laerke said.

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and the organization’s humanitarian coordinator, Martin Griffith, negotiate with the government of Egypt on the opening of the Rafah border crossing, between this country and Gaza, the only access to the Palestinian territory that is not covered by the ban. military control over Israel.

“Intensive and advanced negotiations are underway with all parties involved to ensure that the relief operation in Gaza begins as soon as possible and under the right conditions,” Laerke said at a press conference in Geneva.

Citizens’ needs are practically a matter of life and death: food, water, medical supplies and fuel to keep the generators running that provide minimal electricity to hospitals. “Fuel means survival. After nine days of total blackout, everything that works is thanks to generators,” said Laerke.

Exactly, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterresmoved today to Border crossing at Rafah, which connects Egypt to the Gaza Strip and is the only one not controlled by Israel. “It’s impossible to be here without being heartbroken. There are two million people going through hardship, without food, without medicine… They need everything to survive. On this side we have trucks and everything for that is necessary. Those trucks, no. They’re just trucks, but They are what separates life from deathwe must spend the maximum amount possible,” the UN official said.

Dozens of trucks with aid are waiting for the pass to open. Egypt has indicated that it has not decided to open it due to insecurity, mainly as a result of Israeli bombardments in the area where there are tens of thousands of Gazans displaced from the north of the enclave by Israel.

The UN affirms that a mechanism is needed to gain access to southern Gaza, but emphasizes that a ceasefire would be desirable to provide assistance to all people in need, regardless of where they are. It is unclear what the scope of the humanitarian access agreement would be. Whether it would be temporary or not, whether it would include humanitarian and medical personnel, or whether evacuations from Gaza would be allowed at the same time, especially of a medical nature and of foreigners waiting to leave.

4,100 Palestinians killed

Meanwhile, Israel continues its bombardment and prepares to enter the Strip by land. As reported by the Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas, at least 16 Palestinian Christians were killed by an Israeli army bombardment of the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyry, where hundreds of people, including families with children, were taking refuge.

The latest number of casualties brings the number of deaths since the start of the war to 4,137 and 13,260 injured. Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al Qidra specified this at least 1,161 children have died during the Israeli attacks.

At the same press conference, the spokesperson also announced that seven of the main hospitals in the enclave and 21 health centers in the area are currently out of service due to the Israeli attacks.

To this balance we must add at least 81 Palestinians who have been killed West Bank since the start of hostilities, according to Palestinian Authority government estimates.

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office has said that the security situation in the West Bank is deteriorating alarmingly, where the number of deaths from attacks by the Israeli army or settlers is increasing every day, as the world turns its eyes on the Gaza Strip from Gaza. According to the UN, “Israeli forces have killed 73 Palestinians, including 19 children” in this Palestinian enclave.