Thousands rallied in Athens to call for the opening of the Rafah border crossing and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Athens’ central Syntagma Square to demand the opening of the Rafah border crossing in Egypt and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and carried signs condemning Israel’s military campaign in the territory.

Since the beginning of March, Israel has blocked the entry of humanitarian, food, and medical supplies into Gaza. The move has led to widespread famine and the near-collapse of the health care system.

The United Nations reports that the entire population of 2.1 million in Gaza is facing prolonged food shortages. Nearly half a million are already in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death. The UN said in May, that it's "one of the world's worst hunger crises unfolding in real time."

UN agencies stress famine is looming and that they must be allowed to deliver aid to The Strip. 

Meanwhile, Israel rejects international calls for a ceasefire.

The war in Gaza began 20 months ago after Hamas-led militants raided Israel on 7 October, 2023, killing 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and taking 251 hostages in the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.

Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Much of the densely populated strip has been destroyed, with most of the population displaced and malnutrition widespread.

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