Rare delivery of fuel trucks to Gaza: Rafah crossing official

RAFAH/WASHINGTON: A rare delivery of fuel since war erupted between Israel and Hamas entered the Palestinian territory Sunday, an official at the Rafah crossing and an AFP journalist said.

An AFP journalist saw six trucks enter from stores in Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt and a Palestinian official at the crossing confirmed that the trucks were carrying fuel.

The transfer follows a United Nations’ warning that hospitals and other vital services in the Palestinian territory risked shutting down without fuel deliveries.

At least 55 dead as Israel steps up Gaza strikes: Hamas

Despite the initial delivery, hospitals are still facing dwindling supplies with which to keep power running through generators.

The Hamas-run health ministry on Sunday called on “the owners of gas stations and people who have any quantity of fuel to go to the hospitals immediately and donate it to save the lives of the wounded and sick.”

At least 4,651 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched a bombing campaign in the territory on October 7.

The blistering strikes follow Hamas killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in attacks in Israel.

US sees risk of Middle East escalation

The United States sees the prospect of further attacks on its troops in the Middle East and the Israel-Hamas war escalating to the wider region, the top US diplomat and defense officials said on Sunday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the United States did not want to see the conflict spread.

Blinken told NBC News actions by Iran and its proxies could spark an escalation and that the United States hoped for more hostages to be released by Palestinian group Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7 and killed about 1,400 people.