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
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz declared Monday that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an indefinite period, in a pointed statement that makes no reference to the US-Iran framework agreement announced the same day.
Authorities in southern Lebanon warned people displaced by three months of war between Israel and Hezbollah against rushing home on Monday despite a U.S.-Iran deal to end the wider conflict, as Israel said it would not withdraw troops from the south.
Let us call it what it is. The framework agreement on Iran is not a peace deal. It is a capitulation dressed up in diplomatic language, and its most immediate victims are the two countries that have paid the highest price in blood and treasure to confront Iran's aggression: Israel and Lebanon.
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