The Israeli military’s Coordination Unit for Government Activities in the Territories announced today, Monday, that the “Kerem Shalom” border crossing located on the Egyptian-Israeli border will be opened today. The unit reported through its official account on the “X” website: “We have expanded our capabilities for conducting inspections of aid provided to Gaza. The Kerem Shalom crossing will be opened, thereby doubling the number of inspections.”
The unit added that “the aid is still waiting at the entrance of Rafah, and the United Nations must do better as the aid is available, and people need it.”
In the same context, the Israeli newspaper “Jewish Daily News” confirmed that in the coming days, operations at the Kerem Shalom crossing will commence where goods will be inspected before entering the Gaza Strip. This is expected to significantly increase the number of trucks entering the area.
The newspaper also pointed out that the U.S. administration is demanding an increase in the number of areas designated as humanitarian corridors in the Gaza Strip, where a ceasefire is observed daily for a few hours to allow for the increase of supplies reaching the population. This U.S. request comes in the backdrop of recent images of residents storming UNRWA aid trucks, as reported by the Israeli newspaper.
The Israeli military announced on the morning of December 1st the resumption of combat operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, following the interception of a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip. Israel considered this a breach of the temporary humanitarian ceasefire and a halt to the combat operations against the area.
Hamas holds the international community, led by the United States, responsible for the continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. The declared truce between Israel and the Palestinian armed factions, which lasted for seven days, ended at 7:00 AM on Friday, December 1st. The truce included the release of hundreds of detainees and prisoners between the two sides.
The war resumed with intense bombardments in the Gaza Strip, causing shock and terror among the population. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep regret about the resumption of military operations in Gaza. The situation in Gaza has been described as catastrophic, with the UN and other humanitarian agencies highlighting the severe impact on civilians, especially children. Hospitals and medical facilities are overwhelmed, and there is a desperate need for more medical supplies and hospital beds. As of early December 2023, the death toll in Gaza was nearing 18,000 due to Israeli bombardments, which began on October 7.
The conflict is part of the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict and has seen various phases, including Palestinian militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacking southern Israel, Israel retaliating with airstrikes and blockades, and ground invasions of Gaza by Israeli forces. The conflict has also led to a temporary ceasefire, which later collapsed, resuming the hostilities. The war has involved various groups, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and non-Palestinian groups like Hezbollah.
