From the Liveblog of
Friday, February 21, 2025
Israel denies mobile homes entered Gaza today, says Kerem Shalom crossing is shut
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Footage published by Palestinian media purports to show five trucks carrying equipment for mobile homes after entering the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing this morning.
Despite the footage, a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stresses that the crossing is not open this morning, and the video may not be from today.
Omer Dostri, the spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, posts on X that the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza is shut, and nothing has entered the Strip since yesterday. Dostri says that the equipment seen in the footage “entered Gaza in the past few days and not today.”
The entry of mobile homes and construction equipment into Gaza has been a sticking point, with Hamas last week threatening to halt the release of hostages under the ceasefire deal unless the items were allowed in.
On Tuesday, a senior Israeli official said Israel was to start allowing mobile homes and heavy construction equipment into Gaza in a controlled manner.
#عاجل | دخول 5 شاحنات تحمل بيوت متنقلة من مصر عبر معبر كرم أبو سالم إلى غزة. pic.twitter.com/0qdi09vxfz
— حسن اصليح | Hassan (@hassaneslayeh) February 21, 2025
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