The office of the Israeli Prime Minister announced today, Friday, that Israel has agreed to allow the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip via the Karem Abu Salem crossing. The office stated in a press release that the opening will help Israel meet its commitment to allow 200 trucks of aid to enter daily, as agreed upon in the hostage deal reached and implemented last month.
From its side, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced in a statement today after his visit to Israel that the United States welcomes Israel's decision to open the Karem Abu Salem crossing with Gaza for humanitarian aid. Sullivan stated, "We welcome this important step," adding that he was informed of the decision prior to leaving Israel.
The British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, also welcomed Israel's decision, stating, "I am very pleased to see Israel's decision to open the Karem Abu Salem crossing. It is a vital step towards ensuring that more lifesaving aid reaches people in Gaza."
The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the decision to open the Karem Abu Salem crossing but stated that there is still a need to work to ensure that essential medical supplies reach hospitals most in need across the sector. In remarks to reporters in Geneva via video link, WHO representative in Gaza Richard Pebrukorn described the decision to open the crossing as "good news," but noted that there are hospitals in the northern part of the sector that remain difficult to access and still require essential medical supplies. Pebrukorn emphasized, "How can we ensure that these aid trucks can go anywhere in Gaza, not just to the south but also to the north?"
