Israel reopens Gaza crossing for aid inspection

ISTANBUL

Israel said Tuesday it reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing with the Gaza Strip for examining aid convoys heading to the Palestinian territory.

“This morning, the first batch of humanitarian aid trucks underwent inspection at Kerem Shalom and is now en route to the Rafah Crossing,” Israel’s COGAT military liaison to the Palestinians said on social media platform X.

“This crucial step is set to expand the volume of aid reaching Gaza. We trust the UN did all the adjustments to receive and distribute the aid,” it added.

While the aid trucks are being inspected at the terminal, they still need to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Previously, aid trucks entering Gaza were examined by Israel at the smaller Nitzana crossing between Israel and Egypt before they were allowed into Rafah.

The Kerem Shalom crossing, also called Karm Abu Salem by the Palestinians, is Gaza’s only commercial crossing. More than 60% of aid to Gaza used to go through the terminal before the outbreak of the current conflict.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,412 Palestinians have been killed and 50,100 others injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio