Israel announced that it will temporarily allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza through its border with the northern part of the territory, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Friday. This reopening of the Erez crossing to the besieged region, which is facing famine, marks the first time since the attack on October 7.
The government statement, issued hours after U.S. President Joe Biden warned Netanyahu of the need to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza, stated that "Israel will allow the delivery of humanitarian aid temporarily through Ashdod and the Erez crossing." The statement added that "this additional aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of fighting and achieve war objectives."
The Erez crossing is the only passage for individuals between the Gaza Strip and Israeli territories, and before October 7, about 12,000 Palestinian workers with work permits in Israel crossed through it daily. Israel closed the crossing designated for the movement of people and goods following the October 7 attack.
Meanwhile, the Spanish NGO Open Arms announced that it and the U.S. charity World Central Kitchen have suspended efforts to deliver aid to Gaza by sea following the killing of seven of their staff members in an Israeli airstrike on Monday. The two charities had worked together to establish a maritime corridor for humanitarian aid to Gaza from Cyprus in March. However, shortly after they unloaded about a third of the shipped cargo, the World Central Kitchen staff convoy was attacked on April 1. Open Arms stated in a written statement, "The attack carried out by Israeli forces last Monday represents a painful turning point in our efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."
