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First aid crosses into Gaza in weeks as UN chief calls it a ‘drop in the ocean’ – Israel-Gaza war live [1]
['Léonie Chao-Fong', 'Tom Ambrose', 'Martin Belam', 'Yohannes Lowe']
Date: 2025-05-19
From 48m ago 12.29 EDT UN aid chief says aid allowed into Gaza 'a drop in the ocean' United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said Israel cleared nine trucks of aid on Monday to enter Gaza through the Keren Shalom crossing after 11 weeks of a complete blockade, Reuters reported. “But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed, and significantly more aid must be allowed into Gaza, starting tomorrow morning,” Fletcher said in a statement. “To reduce looting, there must be a regular flow of aid, and humanitarians must be permitted to use multiple routes. Commercial goods should complement the humanitarian response,” he said. Share
46s ago 13.17 EDT UK, France and Canada threaten 'concrete actions' if Israel does not stop Gaza offensive The leaders of Britain, France and Canada issued a joint statement on Monday warning that they will take “further concrete actions” if Israel does not stop a renewed military offensive in Gaza and lift aid restrictions. The statement by Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney condemns Israel’s expansion of military operations in Gaza as “wholly disproportionate”, adding that the “level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable”. We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response. It describes the Israeli government’s “denial of essential humanitarian assistance” as “unacceptable” and says it risks breaching international humanitarian law. In addition, it condemns the “abhorrent” language used by Israeli politicians threatening civilians to relocate from Gaza. The leaders called on the Israeli government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter the Palestinian territory. Share
25m ago 12.53 EDT The day so far United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said Israel cleared nine trucks of aid on Monday to enter Gaza through the Keren Shalom crossing after 11 weeks of a complete blockade, Reuters reported. “But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed, and significantly more aid must be allowed into Gaza, starting tomorrow morning,” Fletcher said in a statement.
An Israeli official says a shipment of flour, baby food and medical supplies will be allowed into Gaza. Eden Bar Tal, the foreign ministry’s director general, said the baby food had started entering, but there was no sign of any aid on the Gaza side of the border. He did not say how much aid would enter, where it would enter or when.
The aid that would be let into Gaza would be “minimal,” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, without specifying precisely when it would resume. He said it would act as bridge toward the launch of a new aid system in Gaza, in which a US-backed organisation will distribute assistance in hubs that will be secured by the Israeli military.
Israel’s hardline minister for national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has said that Benjamin Netanyahu is “making a grave mistake” by allowing any humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, which Israel has been blockading. Ben-Gvir said “The prime minister is making a grave mistake with this move. Any humanitarian aid that enters the Strip … will fuel Hamas and give it oxygen while our hostages languish in tunnels.”
In a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee has told residents living in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, Bani Suheila and Abasan to “evacuate immediately” ahead of an “unprecedented attack” he claims is targeting Hamas infrastructure. “The IDF will launch an unprecedented attack to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organisations in this area,” he wrote in the social media post.
Gaza’s health ministry says 136 people have died in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours. The ministry says 136 bodies were brought to Gaza hospitals over the past 24 hours.
The head of a French medical humanitarian organisation operating in Gaza says the US-backed group expected to distribute aid in the besieged territory will be an accessory to a massive displacement of the Palestinian population as planned by Israel. Jean-Francois Corty, president of Medicins du Monde, a France-based medical humanitarian organisation, sharply criticised plans by Israel, backed by the US, to use a private contractor, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, to distribute aid in Gaza.
Khan Younis residents said Israeli special forces disguised as displaced Palestinians launched a rare ground raid into the city. The forces killed Ahmed Sarhan, a leader in the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, in a shootout, the group said. Palestinian witnesses said his wife and daughter were detained.
The UK’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said that the situation in Gaza is “intolerable”. During a joint press conference with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Starmer said: “It is a really serious, unacceptable, intolerable situation. That’s why we are working intensely to coordinate with other leaders how we respond to this. We will continue to work in that way.”
Amnesty International has urged the US to investigate possible violations of international law in regards to a deadly airstrike on a migrant detention facility in Yemen last month, in which 68 African migrants were reported to have been killed. At the time, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which governs north-west Yemen, said the migrant centre in the city of Saada was under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Cross and targeting it constituted “a full-fledged war crime”. Share
48m ago 12.29 EDT UN aid chief says aid allowed into Gaza 'a drop in the ocean' United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said Israel cleared nine trucks of aid on Monday to enter Gaza through the Keren Shalom crossing after 11 weeks of a complete blockade, Reuters reported. “But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed, and significantly more aid must be allowed into Gaza, starting tomorrow morning,” Fletcher said in a statement. “To reduce looting, there must be a regular flow of aid, and humanitarians must be permitted to use multiple routes. Commercial goods should complement the humanitarian response,” he said. Share
51m ago 12.27 EDT The head of a French medical humanitarian organisation operating in Gaza says the US-backed group expected to distribute aid in the besieged territory will be an accessory to a massive displacement of the Palestinian population as planned by Israel. Jean-Francois Corty, president of Medicins du Monde, a France-based medical humanitarian organsation, sharply criticised plans by Israel, backed by the US, to use a private contractor, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, to distribute aid in Gaza. The plans, as they are known so far, involve setting up four distribution hubs where Palestinians would have to go to collect food guarded by armed private contractors and near Israeli military positions. It appears three of the four hubs will be in Rafah in the far south of Gaza and one in central Gaza, meaning much of the population will have to move to Rafah to obtain aid. Israeli authorities have been pressing for Palestinians to evacuate south. Corty said GHF is “operating for American and Israeli authorities” and is “working for this project to support the massive deportation of the population which is planned by these authorities.” Share
2h ago 11.42 EDT Khan Younis residents said Israeli special forces disguised as displaced Palestinians launched a rare ground raid into the city. The forces killed Ahmed Sarhan, a leader in the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, in a shootout, the group said. Palestinian witnesses said his wife and daughter were detained. The forces drove in on a civilian vehicle and carried out the raid under cover from heavy airstrikes. At least five other people were killed, in addition to Sarhan, according to Nasser hospital. Share
2h ago 11.14 EDT An Israeli official says a shipment of flour, baby food and medical supplies will be allowed into Gaza. Eden Bar Tal, the foreign ministry’s director general, said the baby food had started entering, but there was no sign of any aid on the Gaza side of the border. He did not say how much aid would enter, where it would enter or when. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would allow some aid to enter Gaza for the first time in nearly three months under pressure from Israel’s allies. Aid groups say hunger is widespread and have warned of famine if Israel does not lift its blockade on Gaza’s 2m Palestinians. Share
3h ago 10.45 EDT The IDF told residents living in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, Bani Suheila and Abasan to “evacuate immediately” ahead of an “unprecedented attack” on Monday. The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed the attack was targeting Hamas infrastructure and that the area would be considered a ‘dangerous combat zone’. It comes a day after Israel allowed the entry of a ‘basic quantity’ of food into Gaza, after coming under international criticism over its 10-week blockade on food and humanitarian aid 1:38 Israel targets Nasser hospital as Netanyahu vows to take control of all of Gaza – video Share
3h ago 10.25 EDT Palestinians make their way with belongings as they flee their homes after the Israeli military issued orders for evacuation from eastern Khan Younis. View image in fullscreen Palestinians make their way with belongings as they flee their homes after the Israeli military issued orders for evacuation from eastern Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, 19 May 2025. Photograph: Hatem Khaled/Reuters Share
3h ago 09.58 EDT The aid that would be let into Gaza would be “minimal,” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, without specifying precisely when it would resume. He said it would act as bridge toward the launch of a new aid system in Gaza, in which a US-backed organisation will distribute assistance in hubs that will be secured by the Israeli military. Israel says the plan is meant to prevent Hamas from accessing aid, which Israel says it uses to bolster its rule in Gaza. UN agencies and aid groups have rejected the plan, saying it won’t reach enough people and would weaponise aid in contravention of humanitarian principles. They have refused to take part in it. A UN official said a shipment of 20 aid trucks carrying mostly food is expected to enter on Monday. The official was not authorised to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity. Share
4h ago 09.25 EDT Gaza’s health ministry says 136 people have died in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours. The ministry says 136 bodies were brought to Gaza hospitals over the past 24 hours. The hospitals also received 364 wounded, according to the ministry’s daily report. The overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war is now at 53,486, said the ministry. Share
4h ago 08.57 EDT Sweden has criticised Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that Israel intends to take control of all of the territory of Gaza. AFP reports that Sweden’s foreign minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, said: If this means annexation, it is against international law. Sweden stands firm in its belief that Gaza’s territory must not be changed or reduced. In our talks, we have repeatedly urged Israel’s government to allow unhindered humanitarian access and distribution in line with humanitarian principles. A ceasefire and an end to hostilities are needed, and hostages must be released – not more statements or plans from the Israeli government that exacerbate the situation for civilians in Gaza. Sweden recognised the Palestinian state in 2014. Share
5h ago 08.35 EDT Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing local medical sources, is reporting that 46 people have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since dawn. View image in fullscreen Smoke is seen rising over Gaza on 19 May after further Israeli attacks on the territory. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA Share
5h ago 08.23 EDT UK prime minister Starmer: situation in Gaza is 'intolerable' The UK’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said that the situation in Gaza is “intolerable”. During a joint press conference with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Starmer said: It is a really serious, unacceptable, intolerable situation. That’s why we are working intensely to coordinate with other leaders how we respond to this. We will continue to work in that way. Von der Leyen also commented, saying: For two months now, no humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza. Aid must reach civilians in need immediately, and the blockade must be lifted now. Humanitarian aid must never be politicised. She called for a ceasefire and the release of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Share
5h ago 08.11 EDT Israel’s hardline minister for national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has said that Benjamin Netanyahu is “making a grave mistake” by allowing any humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, which Israel has been blockading. Ben-Gvir said “The prime minister is making a grave mistake with this move. Any humanitarian aid that enters the Strip … will fuel Hamas and give it oxygen while our hostages languish in tunnels.” Earlier this year Ben-Gvir quit the government in protest at Israel reaching a hostage release and ceasefire deal, but returned when Israel resumed its military assault on the territory. Share
6h ago 07.47 EDT Ahmed Sarhan, a commander of the Popular Resistance Committees, a militant group allied with Hamas, was killed in a morning raid by undercover Israeli forces that entered the southern city of Khan Younis disguised as displaced people, according to medics. Residents, according to Reuters, said Sarhan fought the force before he was killed, and that the Israelis detained his wife and children before retreating in a bus towards the eastern border with Gaza under a cover of fire from planes. “As you see, they entered, opened a hole in the wall, entered the house and executed the father and took an 11-year-old child and his mother, and left,” said an eyewitness, Mohammed Sarhan, referring to the PRC commander. Share
6h ago 07.32 EDT Deadly US airstrike on Yemen migrant centre may constitute violation of international law - Amnesty Some news about Yemen now. Amnesty International has urged the US to investigate possible violations of international law in regards to a deadly airstrike on a migrant detention facility in Yemen last month, in which 68 African migrants were reported to have been killed. At the time, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which governs north-west Yemen, said the migrant centre in the city of Saada was under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Cross and targeting it constituted “a full-fledged war crime”. Agnes Callamard, Amnesty’s secretary-general, said that “the US attacked a well-known detention facility where the Houthis have been detaining migrants”. To Callamard “the major loss of civilian life in this attack raises serious concerns about whether the US complied with its obligations under international humanitarian law”, “The US must conduct a prompt, independent and transparent investigation into this airstrike,” she added. The US had been conducting regular strikes against the Houthis, saying it was seeking to end the threat the group posed to vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. A ceasefire was reached early in May in which the Houthis agreed to stop targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, but said attacks against Israel would continue. 1:36 Yemen Houthi rebels say 68 dead in US airstrike on prison in Saada – video Share Updated at 08.52 EDT
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[1] Url:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/may/19/gaza-israel-aid-war-latest-live-news?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-682b0ba98f0812fb97043031#block-682b0ba98f0812fb97043031
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