In the early hours of Tuesday morning, thousands of

It was a chaotic scene on Tuesday in the southern city of Rafah, as men, women and children thronged the aid centre, seeking food to stave off malnutrition and starvation.Israeli soldiers used gunfire to disperse the desperate crowds, as they tugged at the fences separating them from food boxes. Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that three Palestinians were killed and 46 wounded at the site. Several more remained missing.

Starting on March 2, Israel had imposed a total blockade on aid into war-torn Gaza, as part of the military offensive it began in the Palestinian enclave in October 2023.As fears of famine grew, so too did international pressure on Israel. Allies including theUnited Kingdom, France and Canada

warned Israel earlier this month that it could face sanctions if aid restrictions were not lifted.Days later, Israel announced it would allow

“minimal” deliveries

of essential suppliesCivil society groups warn that as many as 12,000 people could ultimately be affected by the project, which enjoys the support of President Jose Raul Mulino, as the entire Indio River basin would be affected.

The 80-kilometre-long Panama Canal handles six percent of global maritime trade and remains vital to Panama’s economy.It is also at the centre of a diplomatic row, as former US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to “take back” the waterway, handed over to Panama in 1999, citing alleged Chinese influence.

For the second time in his presidency, Donald Trump’s first official state visit is to Saudi Arabia.For the second time in his presidency, Donald Trump has chosen Saudi Arabia as the destination for his first official state visit, following brief stops in Italy and the Vatican for Pope Francis’s funeral.