
JERUSALEM — The first shipments of humanitarian aid could begin to arrive in the Gaza Strip as soon as Friday, nearly two weeks after the start of a punishing Israeli bombardment campaign targeted at the militant group Hamas and after the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for Americans as tensions continue to build.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has grown dire, aid groups say. Friday's delivery, if it takes place, would be the first since Israel halted the flow of food, water, electricity and fuel to the territory earlier this month, in retaliation for a wave of attacks by Hamas on Israeli towns near Gaza on Oct. 7.