Amidst an escalating conflict in Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with Arab leaders in Jordan to discuss a ceasefire and address the humanitarian situation. Blinken had previously met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for a humanitarian pause in the fighting.
ALSO READ:UAE to Host 1,000 Palestinian Children for Medical Treatment
However, Netanyahu rejected the idea of a pause unless hostages are released. Today, Blinken will meet with foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Palestinian representatives in Amman. These Arab leaders will emphasize their demand for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid delivery, and ending the deteriorating situation in the region.
Gaza health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted an ambulance in a convoy carrying injured Palestinians at Gaza’s largest hospital, al-Shifa, resulting in 15 deaths and over 60 injuries. Israel claimed that the ambulance was used by a Hamas terrorist cell, but Hamas denied this allegation. The Israeli military has encircled Gaza City, intensifying its campaign against Hamas, which it accuses of killing people and taking hostages in an October 7 assault.
ALSO READ:Intense Clashes Continue as Israeli Forces Battle Hamas in Gaza
The dire conditions in Gaza have worsened, with food scarcity, limited access to clean water, collapsing medical services, and a high number of casualties. The UN estimates that nearly 1.5 million out of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are internally displaced due to the ongoing conflict.
Late on Friday, there were reports of Palestinians killed and wounded in an Israeli strike on a school where hundreds of people were seeking shelter. Exact figures and Israeli military comments on the incident were not immediately available.
