Israel opens third crossing in northern Gaza to increase humanitarian aid

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A third humanitarian crossing has been opened by Israel “as part of the effort to increase aid routes to the Gaza Strip, and to the northern Gaza Strip in particular,” Israel Defense Forces stated on Sunday.

The Western Erez Crossing, situated near Zikim in the Negev Desert, was built by IDF engineering units in cooperation with the Defense Ministry’s engineering department and Crossings Authority.

The new crossing has already been used to bring in dozens of trucks with flour from the United Nations World Food Program. The trucks were allowed to cross into Gaza after “undergoing security checks,” according to the Israeli military and Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

In addition to the Western Erez Crossing, there is a new crossing that opened earlier this month – the Eastern Erez Crossing and the original crossing are both being used for aid deliveries into Gaza. Furthermore, Gate 96, which is the military’s entrance to the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, has also been used for aid deliveries since March.

In the south of Gaza, the Kerem Shalom Crossing is used for aid deliveries. Hamas has repeatedly launched rockets and mortar shells from Rafah against Kerem Shalom to sabotage the delivery of aid. On May 5, a Hamas rocket barrage towards the crossing killed four IDF soldiers and injured 10 Israelis.

“Several rockets exploded in an open area near a military installation, and there were casualties at the scene. The victims are not residents of the council, and we pray for their safety,” the Eshkol Regional Council said in a statement at the time.

Despite Hamas rocket attacks and Israeli casualties, the Biden administration demanded that Israel reopen the Keren Shalom Crossing just days after the deadly barrage.

Israel has suggested that the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which the IDF captured on May 7, also be used to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, however, but the Egyptian government has reportedly refused.

Apart from crossings by land, donor countries – especially the United States – have been dropping humanitarian aid from the air. In addition, the U.S. will begin to deliver humanitarian aid via the new floating pier off the coast of central Gaza.

The U.S. announced last week that the pier, also known as JLOTS, has been completed but is not yet operational due to bad weather conditions.

In April, Israel published statistics showing it had enabled the delivery of 252,000 tons of food, and 3.3 million cubic meters (871.8 million gallons) of water into Gaza, since Hamas began the war last October. In addition, Israel has facilitated the flow of fuel into Gaza.

“Over the last few days, we facilitated the entry of 200,000 liters of fuel through the Kerem Shalom crossing; we facilitated and coordinated the opening of a new field hospital in Central Gaza; and we are operating to enable the flow of humanitarian aid to Rafah through the Salah Al-Din Road,” said IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari on Sunday.