More time needed for Palestinian evacuation, says top EU official

The European Union’s foreign policy chief said on Saturday that the Israeli military needs to give more time for 1 million people to evacuate northern Gaza ahead of any military action.

Josep Borrell, speaking to news media during a visit to China, welcomed the warning to evacuate but said the tight time frame could create a humanitarian crisis given the lack of shelters and transportation.

Palestinians were fleeing in a mass exodus after Israel’s military told people to evacuate to the southern part of the besieged territory ahead of an expected ground invasion.

A plane carrying medical supplies for Gaza from the United Nations health agency landed on Saturday in el-Arish airport in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, awaiting the reopening of the Rafah crossing point. That’s according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization.

"We’re ready to deploy the supplies as soon as humanitarian access through the crossing is established,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Egypt has designed el-Arish airport to receive supplies from aid agencies and foreign governments to deliver them to Gaza. Rafah was forced closed earlier in the week after Israeli airstrikes hit close its gate on the Palestinian side.

Adhanom also pleaded for Israel to reconsider its decision to evacuate 1.1 million people to the southern part of Gaza, saying, "It will be a human tragedy.”

Palestinians, who fled their houses amid Israeli strikes, take shelter in a UN-run school in Khan Younis. Reuters

The United States Air Force said overnight that it had deployed F-15E fighter aircraft in the Middle East to support its operations backing Israel.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation

The 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation issued a blistering statement Saturday expressing what it describes as "its absolute rejection and condemnation of Israel, the occupying power’s calls for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people.”

The Jeddah, a Saudi Arabia-based organisation, also called for humanitarian corridors to be opened into Gaza, which is under an Israeli siege blocking food, water and medicine.

Analysts say US--led negotiations to have the kingdom diplomatically recognise Israel have likely stalled after Hamas’ unprecedented Oct. 7 incursion in Israel and Israel’s devastating military campaign that followed, which have left more than 3,200 dead.

South Korea evacuates over 200 nationals

A South Korean military plane evacuating 220 South Korean and other Asian nationals from Israel has departed Tel Aviv and was expected to land in South Korea later on Saturday, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said.

The people transported on the KC-330 military transport plane included 163 South Koreans, 51 Japanese nationals and six Singaporean nationals, the ministry said.

About 470 South Koreans remain in Israel, most of them long-term residents who have chosen to stay. No South Korean casualties have so far been reported from the violence in Israel and Gaza.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 16 Palestinians killed on Friday in the occupied West Bank, bringing to 51 the total number of West Bank Palestinians killed since Oct. 7.

'Bring back my baby girls'

Relatives of Israelis abducted during Hamas militants’ attack the previous weekend pleaded on Friday at the United Nations for the world’s help in getting their loved ones home.

Speaking by video from Israel, Yoni Asher told diplomats at an Israel-organised event that he hadn’t slept or eaten since his wife and two small daughters vanished on Oct. 7 while visiting his mother-in-law in the country’s south.

"I don’t know if I got any more tears left,” he said. "I’m exhausted, and I just want to approach whoever can hear me in the international community. Please bring back my baby girls.”

Hamas fighters took 150 hostages during Saturday’s surprise assault.

Agencies