Gaza received its largest aid shipment since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, with almost thirty-three trucks entering the region. According to the Gaza health ministry, the Palestinian death toll has now exceeded 8,000, with the majority being women and minors. Israel has permitted only a limited amount of aid to enter. These aid shipments remain insufficient to meet the pressing needs, as thousands of people resorted to breaking into warehouses to acquire essential supplies such as flour and basic hygiene products.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, expressed concern over the warehouse break-ins, noting that it signals a breakdown in civil order following three weeks of war and a tight siege on Gaza. People in Gaza are reported to be scared, frustrated, and desperate.
Early on Sunday, communications were restored to much of Gaza after a particularly intense Israeli bombardment, which residents described as the most severe during the conflict, had disrupted most forms of communication late on Friday.
Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, visited the Rafah crossing and described the suffering of civilians as profound. He called on Israel to respect international law but did not accuse it of war crimes. Additionally, he characterized Hamas\’ attack on October 7 as a serious violation of international humanitarian law and stressed that the responsibility lies with those who deploy the weapons.
The Israeli military reported striking more than 450 militant targets in the past 24 hours, including Hamas command centers and anti-tank missile launch sites. They also claimed to have killed a number of Hamas militants as they exited one of their extensive network of Gaza tunnels near the Erez crossing, which served as the sole pedestrian passageway into Israel before it was destroyed during the fighting. The Hamas military, on the other hand, stated that its soldiers engaged with Israeli troops who entered the northwest Gaza Strip with small arms and anti-tank missiles.