JERUSALEM, OCTOBER 18

Israel says it will allow Egypt to deliver limited quantities of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the decision was approved Wednesday in light of a request from visiting President Joe Biden.

In a statement, it said it 'will not thwart' deliveries of food, water and medicine, as long as the supplies do not reach Hamas. The statement made no mention of badly needed fuel.

It was not clear when the aid would start flowing. Egypt's Rafah crossing has only a limited capacity, and Egypt says it has been damaged by Israeli airstrikes.

Israel, which controls most crossings into Gaza, says it will not allow deliveries from its territory. It also demanded that international Red Cross be allowed to visit kidnapped Israelis held captive in Gaza.