GAZA: Egypt has agreed to reopen its border crossing with Gaza to facilitate aid delivery to Palestinians, according to the United States.

This development comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis affecting the 2.3 million people trapped in Gaza, with anti-Israel protests erupting across the Middle East.

The region remains volatile following an Israeli airstrike on Gaza's Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital, which Palestinian officials claim resulted in the deaths of 471 people. The Gaza health ministry reports a total of 3,478 Palestinians killed and 12,065 injured in Israeli airstrikes on the enclave since October 7.

Protests have broken out in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and other locations, primarily in response to the hospital attack. Lebanese security forces have used tear gas and water cannons against protesters near the US embassy in Beirut.

Israeli forces have reportedly killed two Palestinian teenagers in the West Bank during protests. Additionally, a Palestinian man was allegedly killed by Israeli forces during a raid on the West Bank village of Budrus, according to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA.

US President Joe Biden discussed aid for Gaza during a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, while returning from a brief visit to Israel. Sisi agreed to open the Rafah crossing from Egypt to Gaza to allow around 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into the enclave. This aid is essential as Gaza faces severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and other necessities following Israel's blockade and airstrikes over the past 12 days. While no specific timeline was given, the crossing is expected to open in the coming days after road repairs.

Amid concerns of the conflict spreading beyond Gaza, Biden had planned to meet with Arab leaders, but Jordan canceled the planned summit with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority in response to the hospital attack.