What's happened
Hamas militants attacked Israel's main aid crossing, wounding Israelis and prompting its closure, disrupting critical humanitarian aid shipments into Gaza.
Why it matters
The attack on the aid crossing has significant implications, disrupting vital humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza and undermining ceasefire efforts. The closure impacts the lives of those in Gaza who rely on aid, and the ongoing conflict raises concerns about the region's stability and peace efforts.
What the papers say
According to The Independent, the attack disrupted critical shipments of food and aid into Gaza, prompting Israel to close the crossing. The Scotsman reported Israel's closure of the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera channel and Netanyahu's rejection of Hamas demands. South China Morning Post highlighted the attack's impact on aid deliveries and ceasefire efforts.
How we got here
The Kerem Shalom crossing has been a crucial gateway for humanitarian aid into Gaza. The attack comes amid ongoing ceasefire efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Tensions between Israel and Hamas have escalated, leading to this attack on the aid crossing.
More on these topics
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.