From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
IDF says Kerem Shalom station now inspecting Gaza aid in bid to increase flow
The Israel Defense Forces says that the Kerem Shalom border crossing station is now inspecting aid deliveries to Gaza.
The move is meant to facilitate an increase in the number of aid trucks that can enter Gaza each day. Israel currently inspects the trucks at the smaller Nitzana crossing between Israel and Egypt before they are sent to Rafah.
While Israel will use the Kerem Shalom facilities to inspect the trucks, they will still need to enter Gaza through Rafah.
“This crucial step is set to expand the volume of aid reaching Gaza. We trust the
did all the adjustments to receive and distribute the aid,” tweets Israel’s COGAT military liaison to the Palestinians.
This morning, the first batch of humanitarian aid trucks underwent inspection at Kerem Shalom and is now en route to the Rafah Crossing. This crucial step is set to expand the volume of aid reaching Gaza. We trust the @UN did all the adjustments to receive and distribute the aid. pic.twitter.com/Wugsas51kj
— COGAT (@cogatonline) December 12, 2023
The Biden administration and the broader international community have been pressuring Israel for weeks to open Kerem Shalom, previously Gaza’s main goods crossing. Since the start of the war, all aid has been entering Gaza through Egypt’s Rafah Crossing, which is meant to be primarily for pedestrians.
