Israel to increase troops in Rafah

In a statement from the Defense Minister's office, Gallant said the military operation in Rafah would continue with additional forces being deployed in the city's area.

In early May, Israeli forces announced the start of a military operation in the eastern city of Rafah, despite international warnings that the operation would plunge the estimated 1.4 million people sheltering in Rafah into dire straits.

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), some 600,000 people have been forced to leave their shelters in Rafah as Israel steps up its military operations there.

Regarding aid to the Gaza Strip, the US military announced on May 16 that about 500 tons of humanitarian aid could arrive in Gaza in the coming days, after the pier built by the US military off the coast of Gaza was moved to the shore of this territory.

Earlier in the day, the US Central Command said the US military had completed the installation of a pier to receive humanitarian aid. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza are expected to begin moving ashore from this pier in the coming days, after being delayed for a week due to bad weather. The United Nations will receive the aid and coordinate its distribution into Gaza.

The land delivery of aid into Gaza has been disrupted by the closure of the border and Israel's military operations in the territory. The plan to build the pier was first announced by US President Joe Biden in early March. According to US estimates, the pier will allow the transport of about 90 trucks carrying international aid to Gaza each day, with the potential to increase to 150 trucks per day once fully operational.