Israel has reopened the Kerem Shalom Crossing for aid to enter the Gaza Strip, two days after it was shut following a deadly rocket attack (Pics/AFP)
Updated On: 2024-05-08 01:37 PM IST
Compiled by : ronak mastakar
Four soldiers were killed in the rocket strike from Gaza at a ground near the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday. Hamas had claimed responsibility for the attack
Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced that the crossing was reopened in the morning to allow trucks to enter Gaza, as per the "directives of the political echelon," according to The Times of Israel report
As per COGAT, Israel continues to inspect aid before it enters Gaza. The White House on Tuesday said that Israel had assured the US that it would open the crossing, according to a report in the Times of Israel
Amid mounting airstrikes, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office reaffirmed on Monday the continuation of military operations in Rafah to "exert military pressure on Hamas"
Last week, the Israeli military announced that it had shut the Karem Abu Salem gate, also known as the Kerem Shalom crossing, to aid convoys. The Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, claimed the attack targeted a group of Israeli forces near the border
The Israeli army said it spotted 10 rockets fired from Gaza's southern city of Rafah into the area. The crossing is one of the primary routes for supplies into the Gaza Strip
Meanwhile, the US on Tuesday (local time) said that the closure of Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossing amid the Israeli offensive in the region has set back the delivery of humanitarian assistance, which has functioned as the main entry point for the aid deliveries to Gaza
During a press briefing on Tuesday (local time), US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "Certainly, the closing of Kerem Shalom and the closing of Rafah set back the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Now, to some extent, the full answer to that question depends on what happens next and whether they're quickly reopened. And Israel has committed to reopening Kerem Shalom tomorrow - we're working to make sure that that actually happens - so humanitarian assistance can continue to come through"
He responded to a media query on how the closure of crossings impacts the humanitarian situation in the area, keeping in mind the near-famine-like conditions there. However, Miller clarified by saying that "Kerem Shalom didn't close just because of an action by Israel; it closed because it was bombed by Hamas"