Senior UN official: Israel also approved reopening of 20 bakeries, waterline in northern Gaza

A statement from a senior United Nations official lists what he calls “commitments” by Israel as part of a series of steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including opening the Erez Crossing to the northern Strip for the first time since October 7 and increasing the number of trucks entering via Jordan from the Allenby Bridge crossing.

The UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Gaza and the West Bank, Jamie McGoldrick,  also says “better functioning coordination cell will be established that links humanitarians directly with the IDF Southern Command.”

While most of the step details in McGoldrick’s statement were announced by the Prime Minister’s Office early yesterday morning, he expands on the details of the approvals, which he says came “in response to our repeated requests.”

In addition to expanding border crossing operating hours and capacity, the UN official says Israel has approved the activation of 20 bakeries and the reopening of the Nahal Oz waterline in northern Gaza.

The statement says the number of trucks allowed to pass through from Jordan will be increased from 25 to at least 50 per day, while an additional 100 trucks per day will be scanned via the Kerem Shalom and Nitsana crossings in the south of the Strip.

“As I have stated previously, the humanitarian community is prepared to scale-up assistance in Gaza, but this requires better security, greater access, and more reliable facilitation from Israeli authorities,” he says in the statement.

“We stand ready to work with all parties to alleviate the suffering of people in Gaza.”