Israel not doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza, say UN and EU

The United Nations and the European Union say that Israel does not take "adequate" measures to provide humanitarian aid and to protect civilian lives in Gaza, reports Euronews.

After mounting international pressure, Israel announced it will "temporarily" open two more crossings - the Erez land crossing and the port of Ashdod. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said those crossings are "not enough to prevent starvation in Gaza". 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed hope that "these intentions are effectively and quickly materialised". However, he emphasised that "dramatic humanitarian conditions require a quantum leap in the delivery of life-saving aid – a true paradigm shift."

Meanwhile, the ceasefire talks in Cairo may stall again. CNN reported on Friday that Hamas rejected the latest Israeli proposal on hostage swap and ceasefire, "asserted it doesn't include any reply to their asks", and "Israeli proposal includes nothing new". 

Security officials of the US and Israel planned to continue talks in Cairo this weekend, but Israeli media report that "the rejection by Hamas has led Israeli officials to publicly wonder whether there is any point in continuing negotiations".

US president Joe Biden took an attempt to stimulate the process. Quoting an unnamed source in Biden's administration, the Times of Israel reported that the US President wrote letters to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, calling on them "to press Hamas to agree to a hostage deal with Israel".