Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence to help end the war in Gaza and ensure the flow of desperately needed humanitarian aid. In a televised address on Monday, el-Sissi urged Trump directly, saying: “You are the one who can stop the war, deliver aid, and end the suffering. Please, make every effort to stop this war.” He described conditions inside Gaza as “tragic” and “intolerable,” echoing widespread international concern over a worsening humanitarian disaster. El-Sissi’s appeal comes amid growing global pressure on Israel to ease its military campaign and allow more aid into Gaza. On Sunday, Israel announced a limited 10-hour daily pause in fighting to facilitate aid delivery. However, military strikes have reportedly continued outside the declared pause hours.
Trump, who has positioned himself as a possible peacemaker ahead of the U.S. election season, contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that “no one is starving in Gaza,” acknowledging the crisis was more dire than suggested. Aid agencies have welcomed Israel’s easing of restrictions but insist the current measures are grossly insufficient. Heartbreaking images of starving children and collapsed hospitals continue to circulate globally. Most of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents now depend on international aid, which remains difficult and dangerous to access.
Tragic Birth Highlights Crisis
A newborn baby girl, delivered by emergency surgery after her pregnant mother was killed in an Israeli airstrike, died hours later at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital. The mother, Soad al-Shaer, was seven months pregnant when she was killed alongside 11 others in Khan Younis. Medical teams attempted to save the baby, but she succumbed despite ventilation support.
Malnutrition Deaths Mounting
The Gaza Health Ministry also reported that 14 Palestinians died from malnutrition-related causes within the past 24 hours, including two children. Since the war began on October 7, 2023, at least 88 children and 59 adults have died due to starvation and related complications, underscoring the deepening humanitarian emergency. International calls for a ceasefire continue to mount, but with no political resolution in sight, the civilian toll continues to rise.
