Israel's Prime Minister's Office declared the approval of humanitarian aid entry through the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip. In adherence to the hostage release agreement, Israel pledged the daily transfer of 200 truckloads of food and aid from Egypt to Gaza's civilian populace. However, the Rafah crossing's limited capacity of 100 trucks daily led to congestion and disrupted the agreement's execution.
To comply with the terms, Israel's cabinet endorsed a temporary measure on Friday, allowing unloading trucks on the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom instead of returning them to Rafah. This temporary arrangement solely permits Egyptian-origin humanitarian aid into Gaza via this route.
The statement emphasizes the United States' commitment to upgrade the Rafah crossing swiftly, facilitating the transfer of aid exclusively through Rafah post Israeli security screening. This move aims to streamline aid delivery and honor the agreement between Israel and the United States.
Key Points:
1. Israel's Prime Minister's Office announced the approval of humanitarian aid entry into the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing, a decision aligned with the hostage release agreement. The agreement involves transferring 200 truckloads daily of food and aid from Egypt to Gaza for the civilian population, whereas the Rafah crossing, limited to 100 trucks per day, undergoes Israeli security checks at Kerem Shalom, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
2. Prior to this decision, trucks were required to return to Rafah crossing, leading to congestion and hindering the agreement's execution between Israel and the United States.
3. To comply with the agreement's terms, the Israeli cabinet endorsed a temporary solution on Friday, allowing trucks to unload on the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom instead of returning to Rafah crossing, specifically for humanitarian aid arriving from Egypt.
4. Emphasizing that this method solely applies to humanitarian aid from Egypt, the statement outlined the United States' commitment to fund Rafah crossing's upgrades promptly, enabling the transfer of humanitarian aid exclusively via Rafah after passing Israeli security protocols.
5. The intention behind this decision is to facilitate smoother aid transfer while awaiting the upgrade of Rafah crossing, ensuring efficient humanitarian assistance for the Gaza Strip, backed by the United States' commitment to expedite the necessary improvements for seamless aid flow through Rafah.
(With Agency Inputs)
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