Egyptian mediators try to build on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Calls for a longer-term calm were raised by Egyptian mediators yesterday as Gaza Strip went on assessing the damage from 11 days of hostilities with ceasefire holding on.

An Egyptian delegation in Israel is mulling ways of firming up the ceasefire, including aid for Palestinians in Gaza. The delegates have been shuttling between Israel and Gaza, with talks continuing yesterday, the officials said.

A UN report had said that approximately 800,000 people in Gaza do not have regular access to clean piped water, as nearly 50% of the water networks are out of service following the recent raids.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also said the 11-day attack destroyed or damaged nearly 17,000 residential and commercial units, 53 education facilities, six hospitals, and 11 primary health care centres.

Palestinian officials put the reconstruction costs at tens of millions of dollars and the death toll at 248 people. The devastation has also raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in the densely populated enclave, pounded by Israel with airstrikes and artillery fire.

Reports also said the US Secretary of State would visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority in West Bank on Wednesday and Thursday, hoping to build on the ceasefire.

US President Joe Biden had pledged to work with the United Nations on bringing humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Gaza. The State Department announced Blinken’s visit on Thursday, without declaring dates, and said he would “discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians”.

World Health Organisation spokeswoman Margaret Harris had said that Gaza’s health facilities are in danger of being overwhelmed by the thousands of injuries and called for immediate access into Gaza for health supplies and personnel.