Lauren Freyer

The UN now says, quote, full and sustained opening of existing and additional crossings is required, and that the transport of aid within Gaza remains limited and highly congested.

Lauren Freyer, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

Wind and rain are hampering efforts to stay warm and dry in places like al-Muwasi, where up to half a million displaced Palestinians are staying, mostly in temporary tents.

A spokesperson for Gaza's civil defense agency, Mahmoud Bassal, says rain has inundated those makeshift shelters.

In a statement, Hamas decried what it called Israel's continued obstruction of humanitarian aid into the Strip.

Israel says it opened a border crossing this week into northern Gaza, where the UN declared a famine last summer.

The UN now says, quote, full and sustained opening of existing and additional crossings is required, and that the transport of aid within Gaza remains limited and highly congested.

Lauren Freyer, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

Several busloads of volunteers were trying to reach the Israeli-occupied Palestinian village of Boreen.

Their plan was to act as human shields to protect Palestinian farmers from Israeli settler attacks, which have hit a record high, according to the U.N.

This week, settlers ransacked the West Bank's biggest dairy farm and also torched a mosque.

Lior Amichai, director of Peace Now and advocacy groups, sent NPR this voice memo from a checkpoint where Israeli soldiers blocked their passage to Borin.

The Israeli military tells NPR it did this for public safety after a week marred by an increase in violent incidents.

Lauren Fryer, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

You're listening to NPR News.

Here's part of what President Trump said in a speech to Israel's Knesset last month.

Mr. President, why don't you give him a pardon?

Now in a letter released by the Israeli president's office, Trump repeats that, writing, quote, He calls Netanyahu's prosecution political and unjustified.

Israel's mostly ceremonial president does have the authority to pardon some criminals.

But an official close to his office who isn't authorized to speak on the matter tells NPR you can't pardon someone who hasn't been convicted.