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“Egypt Steps Up as Palestinians Suffer: First Aid Trucks Now Bound for Gaza In Wake of Hospital Explosion

Egypt has announced that it will allow the first aid trucks to enter Gaza as Palestinians reel from a hospital explosion. The decision was made after an Egyptian-mediated effort to ease tensions between the Palestinian factions and Israel. For years, Egypt had largely kept its borders closed to Gaza, citing security concerns. The decision to allow aid trucks to enter the besieged territory follows a period of escalated violence between Israel and the Hamas militants in Gaza, which has included air strikes and rocket fire. The blast at the Al-Awda hospital on November 12 has further heightened tensions. The hospital, which had been providing medical care to Palestinians in Gaza since 2009, was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli government has denied responsibility for the blast, claiming that it was a result of Hamas rocket fire which had gone astray. The decision by Egypt to allow the aid trucks into Gaza has been welcomed by some Palestinians, who otherwise lack access to vital supplies. And while the Israeli government reacted positively to the news, it has also warned that it will continue its air strikes if Palestinian militants launch any more rocket attacks. This latest development shows that the situation in Gaza is volatile and that much work still needs to be done to restore peace. As the situation develops, it is important that all sides work together to create an environment conducive to the delivery of supplies and to ensure that no further civilian casualties occur.