Israel announced Monday it will send humanitarian aid to South Sudan, even as it maintains a suffocating blockade on Gaza. The Foreign Ministry said emergency assistance will support South Sudan amid a cholera outbreak that has spread since September 2024.
Reports suggested discussions on transferring Gaza residents to South Sudan, but Juba denied any agreement, calling claims “baseless.” Aid overseen by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will include medical supplies, water purification equipment, and essential food parcels.
Israel has kept Gaza crossings largely closed since March 2, allowing only minimal aid far below urgent humanitarian needs. Rights groups and UN officials have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war against Gaza’s population.
Last month, Saar hosted South Sudanese Foreign Minister Mundi Samaia Kumba, who toured Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Foreign media had reported initial South Sudan approval to receive displaced Palestinians in exchange for Israeli investments, later denied by Juba.
Amnesty International on Monday accused Israel of a “deliberate campaign of starvation,” undermining Gaza’s health, well-being, and social fabric. Israel’s military operations have killed more than 61,900 Palestinians since October 2023, pushing Gaza to the brink of famine.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its campaign against Gaza, deepening international scrutiny.
