First ship carrying aid reaches Gaza coast; Israel rejects Hamas truce offer

Gaza Strip/Cairo, March 15

The first ship carrying food aid reached the coast of the Gaza Strip on Friday, where hopes for a ceasefire to rescue the population from starvation suffered a new blow after Israel rejected the latest truce counter-proposal from Hamas.

The Open Arms vessel, carrying 200 tonnes of food, could be seen in the distance off the beach of the coastal strip, where it had been towed from Cyprus. If the new sea route is successful, it may help to ease the hunger crisis affecting Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people face malnourishment and hospitals in the worst-stricken northern areas have reported children dying of starvation.

Meanwhile, like earlier offers from both sides over the past two months, the rejected Hamas proposal envisions the release of dozens of Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails. — Reuters