Cabinet okays plan to allow more aid into north Gaza, Israeli official confirms to ToI

The security cabinet approved a plan to allow more aid distribution in the northern Gaza Strip, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel, confirming Hebrew media reports.

The expansion of aid in northern Gaza will be done through international aid organizations, says the official.

United Nations World Food Programme Deputy executive director Carl Skau was in Israel last week to meet Israeli officials. He also went to Gaza City on Wednesday to meet locals and discuss the humanitarian situation there.

He told The Times of Israel that Israel allows the WFP to bring in 100 truckloads of food a day, accessing northern Gaza through the Netzarim Corridor and the Erez Crossing. However, Erez closed last week after the WFP sent the IDF footage of its trucks being commandeered by armed Gazans.

“We’re hopeful that that would open again because that’s the most secure. It’s the Netzarim Corridor that is very complicated,” said Skau.

Skau said that if there is a ceasefire in Gaza, the WFP is ready to bring in 500-600 trucks into Gaza by the next day: “We have food and we can mobilize in 24 hours.”