Israel's security cabinet on Friday approved the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.
In the explanation provided to government ministers, the cabinet cited an "urgent security need" to increase the number of aid trucks entering Gaza, "which is beyond what the Rafah crossing can accommodate."
Humanitarian aid arriving from Egypt will now be permitted to enter Israeli territory on its way to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing, where the trucks will undergo a security screening.
Several days ago, at the request of the US, Israel agreed to open the Kerem Shalom border crossing but for only the screening and inspection of the humanitarian aid. After the screening process, the aid would then enter the Strip through the Rafah crossing, on Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Allowing the trucks to enter through Kerem Shalom is intended to ease the load at the Rafah crossing and allow more extensive humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
As part of the hostage release agreement with Hamas, Israel committed to transfer 200 truckloads per day of food and humanitarian aid, but the Rafah crossing has the capacity for only 100 trucks a day.
Having the trucks required to return to the Rafah crossing after the inspection at Kerem Shalom caused heavy congestion and preventing the implementation of the agreement between Israel and the United States.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who has been on a visit to Israel for the past two days, welcomed the move.
“Before departing Israel, I was informed by my counterpart, Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, that the Government of Israel has decided to open its border crossing at Kerem Shalom for direct delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” said Sullivan.
“We welcome this significant step. President Biden raised this issue in recent phone calls with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and it was an important topic of discussion during my visit to Israel over the past two days.”
“The United States remains committed to expanding and sustaining the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. We will continue to work closely with Egypt & partners on the delivery & distribution of humanitarian assistance through Rafah crossing, & hope that this new opening will ease congestion & help facilitate delivery of life-saving assistance to those who need it urgently in Gaza,” Sullivan concluded.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)