Israel reopened the Zikim Crossing in northern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave on Wednesday, COGAT, the Israeli military's arm that oversees aid flows, said.
A COGAT statement said the crossing opened "in accordance with a directive of the political echelon." © Mena Today
Israel reopened the Zikim Crossing in northern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave on Wednesday, COGAT, the Israeli military's arm that oversees aid flows, said.
U.N. aid agencies have been calling for the reopening of the crossing for more aid to flow into the devastated northern part of the enclave, especially after last month's Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
The U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) said that the crossing was shut on September 12 and no aid groups have been able to import supplies since. Israel's military has not responded to a request for comment on its reasons for the closure.
Some humanitarian aid was allowed into northern Gaza through the south, but more was needed as the northern Gaza City and surrounding areas were officially suffering from famine, a global hunger monitor had said a month earlier.
A COGAT statement said the crossing opened "in accordance with a directive of the political echelon."
"The aid will be transferred by the UN and international organizations following thorough security inspections by the Land Crossings Authority of the Ministry of Defense," it added.
Reporting by Jana Choukeir
The Israeli military said it had begun targeted strikes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday in response to a "Hezbollah violation", a day after the latest round of U.S.-facilitated talks between Israel and Lebanon took place in Rome.
The latest round of U.S.-facilitated talks between Israel and Lebanon began on Tuesday in Rome and will continue through Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
Iran is betting it can outlast Washington by turning the Middle East's trade routes, shipping lanes and energy infrastructure into pressure points that steadily raise the cost of confrontation, according to Gulf officials and analysts.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.