From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 19, 2024
Biden welcomes yet-to-be-announced Israeli decision to allow flour shipment into Gaza
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Biden on the call with Netanyahu welcomed the decision from the government of Israel to permit the entry of large shipments of flour into Gaza via Israel’s port in Ashdod, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says, adding that the sides “are separately working on options for more direct maritime delivery of assistance into Gaza.”
This appears to be the first time that Israel has used its Ashdod port to transfer aid to Gaza and comes days after Hebrew media reported that Israel agreed earlier this month to allow 150 truckloads of flour into Gaza, where the UN says there is a growing risk of famine.
Israel has refrained from announcing this decision regarding the flour shipments itself ostensibly due to its unpopular nature among large swaths of the public, given that the hostages remain in Gaza.
