TEL AVIV, October 29. /TASS/. Egypt and the United States intend to expand humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

"Tomorrow, the humanitarian efforts of Egypt and the United States in the Gaza Strip will be expanded," he pointed out.

Hagari also stressed that "Israel is in a state of war that it did not start and did not seek." "Hamas is using Gaza civilians as human shields, infiltrating schools, mosques and hospitals <…>. Hamas terrorists are taking refuge in and under civilian buildings precisely because they know that the Israel Defense Forces distinguish between terrorists and civilians," he added.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking more than 200 hostages, including children, women and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.