Israel Reopens Zikim Crossing to Allow Humanitarian Aid into Gaza
Israel announced on Wednesday the reopening of the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid trucks to enter the enclave.
In a statement, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) — the Israeli military body overseeing the flow of aid — said that Israel had reopened the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza on Wednesday to facilitate the entry of humanitarian convoys.
United Nations relief agencies had called for the reopening of the crossing to enable more aid to reach the devastated northern part of the Gaza Strip, particularly following last month’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the crossing had been closed since September 12, and that no humanitarian organization had been able to deliver supplies since then. The Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment regarding the reasons for the closure.
Some humanitarian aid has reached northern Gaza via the south, but more assistance is urgently needed, as Gaza City and its surrounding areas are officially facing famine, according to a global hunger monitoring body last month.
The statement from COGAT said that the crossing was reopened “in accordance with instructions from the political level.”
It added: “The aid will be transported by the United Nations and international organizations after a thorough security inspection by the Land Crossings Authority of the Ministry of Defense.”
