Israel resumed the entry of humanitarian goods into the Gaza Strip on Monday after halting aid deliveries in response to alleged Hamas attacks that killed two of its soldiers.
The political leadership has ordered that “humanitarian aid continues to enter the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing and additional crossings after Israeli inspection, in full compliance with the signed agreement,” an Israeli security official said.
However, it remains unclear how many crossings have actually reopened for aid deliveries.
On Sunday, security sources had stated that aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip were suspended due to the “blatant violation” of the cease-fire agreements by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
According to the Israeli army, soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip were attacked with an anti-tank missile Sunday, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers. In response, Israel carried out the heaviest airstrikes since the cease-fire began on Oct. 10.
Hamas has insisted it was not behind the attacks.
Hospital sources reported that at least 45 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli strikes.
Israeli security sources also stated that the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will remain closed to passenger traffic until further notice.
Following the implementation of the cease-fire, aid deliveries had been expanded as part of the agreement, with a target of 600 trucks per day.
Meanwhile, Hadja Lahbib, the European commissioner for equality, preparedness, and crisis management, on Monday urged Israel to open all border crossings to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gazans in need.
Speaking at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Lahbib said aid must urgently reach Gaza “at scale” and called the current NGO registration process “a major obstacle” to delivering assistance.
“We have seen in these recent days how the cease-fire is fragile. Humanitarian aid is again taken hostage,” she said. “We need to have a full access for humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.”
She urged Israeli authorities to allow international humanitarian organizations to re-enter Gaza, noting that as winter approaches, “hundreds of thousands of people live among the rubble without houses and without blankets, without everything.”
“All the crossing points must be open,” she said, and added that while the number of aid trucks entering Gaza has increased, it remains “far from the 600 trucks that was promised.”
Lahbib said the European Commission has decided to scale up its contribution by 50 million euros (over $58 million) to support humanitarian operations, and reiterated the need for diplomacy to replace violence.
“We are ready to help them. We must silence the guns and choose diplomacy over debt,” she said.
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