8/5/2024–|Last updated: 5/8/202403:25 PM (Mecca time)
Today, Wednesday, the Gaza Strip Crossings Authority denied Israel’s allegations of reopening the Kerem Shalom crossing, south of the Strip, to the entry of aid, contrary to what Israel announced earlier.
Anadolu Agency quoted Authority spokesman Hisham Adwan as saying that the occupation forces are closing the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, in front of the movement of aid into the Gaza Strip, and that the Israeli forces are still inside the Rafah land crossing and controlling it, which has led to the cessation of travel and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.
Today, Wednesday, Israel announced the reopening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing used to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, in response to a request from US President Joe Biden.
The Israeli occupation army said in a post on the X platform that trucks from Egypt carrying humanitarian aid had already arrived at the crossing, which was denied by the spokesman for the Gaza Crossings Authority.
The Israeli occupation army said that the aid trucks directed from Egypt are already subject to inspection at the crossing, noting that they carry humanitarian aid, including food, water, shelter equipment, medicines and medical equipment donated by the international community.
He added that after inspection, the aid will be transferred to the Gaza side of the crossing. He also stated that the Erez (Beit Hanoun) crossing continues to work to deliver aid to the Palestinian territories.
The Kerem Shalom crossing leading to Gaza was closed after crowds of occupation soldiers at the site were subjected to shelling by the Palestinian resistance, an attack claimed by the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The occupation army said that the rockets were fired from an area adjacent to the city of Rafah, south of Gaza, and then the army penetrated and took control of the Rafah crossing with Egypt yesterday.
The allegations of reopening the Kerem Shalom crossing coincide with the announcement by Palestinian factions of fierce clashes on Wednesday morning with Israeli forces in the eastern region surrounding the Rafah crossing, which is kilometers away from the main road separating the two land crossings along the border strip with Egypt.
The Israeli claim about the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing comes in the wake of international criticism directed at Tel Aviv against the backdrop of the halting of the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing, after Israeli forces invaded the Palestinian side of it and took complete control of it.
Yesterday morning, the Israeli occupation army announced that it had taken complete control of the Rafah crossing, and carried out extensive combing operations in the area, after a night of violent bombardment that targeted the vicinity of the crossing and areas east of the city crowded with displaced persons, despite the efforts of the mediators to reach a truce.
Earlier, the United Nations, relief agencies, and Washington criticized the closure of these crossings, which are considered a lifeline for delivering vital humanitarian aid to Gaza, and relief agencies have repeatedly warned of a looming famine as the war rages.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said that the closure of the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings is unacceptable, and that they should be opened again, and that the United States is awaiting its implementation today.
For his part, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told Tel Aviv Tribune that Washington has made clear that it opposes a large-scale operation in Rafah, and added that the President’s administration is holding a discussion with the Israeli government to reopen the Rafah crossing.
