US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that progress on improving humanitarian access to Gaza is “real and meaningful” but, given the immense need in the Palestinian enclave, it needs to be accelerated.
Blinken, who earlier met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tells reporters that Israel has made important compromises over a proposal for a deal that would see hostages released in exchange for a ceasefire, but it was up to Hamas to take that deal.
Blinken hailed the opening of the Erez crossing today as an important step to get aid directly to northern Gaza, saying it was “real, important progress.”
He says the improvement will be also judged on whether aid going in actually reaches those in need.
Blinken’s comments came after he toured the Kerem Shalom crossing and got his first up-close view of the Strip six months into the war.
Sacks of canned chickpeas, rice, potatoes and toilet paper, some marked with the logo of the UN’s World Food Programme or the World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid group sat on pallets waiting to enter Gaza. Tank fire could be heard in the background.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
