Key takeaways:
- 35 UNRWA staff members have been killed in Gaza since October 7th.
- French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed an international coalition against Hamas and terrorism.
- The US has expressed concern that the conflict will spark a wider conflict in the region, and has advised Israel to delay a ground invasion.
The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) is struggling to comprehend the loss of 35 staff members in Gaza since October 7th, according to its director Thomas White. The death toll in Gaza is rising rapidly as Israel ramps up airstrikes, flattening residential buildings in what it says is preparation for an eventual ground assault. This has caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with the population of 2.3 million running out of food, water and medicine under Israel’s two-week seal.
In response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war, French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed creating an international coalition against Hamas and the larger existential threat of terrorism. He said, “This fight against terrorism is obviously a matter of existence for Israel but it’s a matter of existence for all of us.”
The United States has expressed increasing concern that the conflict will spark a wider conflict in the region, including attacks on American troops. They have advised Israel to delay an expected ground invasion to allow time to negotiate the release of more hostages. On Monday, Hamas released two elderly Israeli women held hostage in Gaza.
A third small aid convoy from Egypt entered Gaza, bringing much needed supplies to the region. However, UNRWA is still struggling to comprehend the loss of 35 of its staff members in the conflict.
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