By Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reported “certain progress” Monday in U.S.-mediated efforts to end fighting with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, while the United Nations revealed that Israel blocked or impeded 85% of humanitarian aid convoys to northern Gaza last month.
“We are working with the Americans,” Saar told reporters, stipulating that any agreement must include mechanisms preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding military infrastructure near the border. A Hezbollah spokesman, however, said the group had received no official proposal and stood ready for prolonged conflict.
The diplomatic efforts come as the Biden administration reportedly prepares to send envoy Amos Hochstein back to the region. Hezbollah has been attacking Israel since October 8 in solidarity with Hamas, resulting in more than 3,200 deaths and 14,000 wounded in Lebanon, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Israeli authorities denied or impeded 85 of 98 requested aid convoys to northern Gaza in October. “OCHA is worried about the fate of Palestinians remaining in North Gaza, as the siege there continues,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
U.N. assessment teams visiting Gaza City found desperate conditions, including families sheltering in damaged basements filled with sewage and lacking electricity. “Urgent assistance is needed, including medical treatment and essential medication,” Dujarric said, adding that residents need winter supplies including blankets, warm clothing, and flood-resistant tents.
The humanitarian crisis stems from Israel’s response to Hamas’s October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Palestinian health officials report more than 43,000 deaths in Gaza since then, with over half being women and children, though they do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
