Israel will open a third crossing into northern Gaza later this month, two senior officials tell The Times of Israel.
The Zikim Crossing will join the Erez Crossing and Gate 96, which were respectively opened earlier this month and in March
Zikim will serve as the main route for aid to northern Gaza, as Erez and Gate 96 are less suited thoroughfares for large amounts of trucks, a senior Israeli official explains.
Additional operational crossings into northern Gaza will be critical if Israel goes ahead with plans to launch a mass ground invasion of the enclave’s southernmost city of Rafah, which Jerusalem says is essential for dismantling Hamas’s remaining battalions and defeating the terror group.
The offensive would likely cut off the Rafah Crossing, Gaza’s main aid opening since the beginning of the war,.
This will make opening additional crossings essential in order to ensure that the 1.4 million Palestinians who Israel is looking to evacuate from Rafah will be able to continue receiving aid.
Bridging the US-Israel divide
While the heart of The Times of Israel’s work takes place in Israel, so many of Jerusalem’s actions are influenced by those in Washington’s halls of power.
As ToI’s US bureau chief, I work to gain access to decision-makers in the United States government so our readers can understand the US-Israel relationship beyond the platitudes evident in public statements.
I'm proud of our ability to inform without sensationalizing, our dedication to be fast while ensuring accuracy, and our determination to present Israel's entire, complex story.
Your support through The Times of Israel Community helps us continue to keep readers around the world properly informed about the critical Israel-US relationship. Do you appreciate our news coverage? If so, please join the ToI Community today.
- Jacob Magid, The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Yes, I'll join
Yes, I'll join
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 eleven years ago - 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
Friday, April 19, 2024
