Israel opens border crossing to Gaza amid growing humanitarian needs

The Israeli government has opened a new border crossing with the Gaza Strip, located near the Kisufim settlement in the central region of the Palestinian enclave.

The crossing is part of efforts to increase humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.

According to the announcement by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) press service, this development comes in response to political leadership directives to enhance the flow of aid into Gaza, Caliber.Az reports.

The Kisufim border crossing was officially opened on Tuesday to allow trucks carrying humanitarian supplies to pass through.

This border point had been closed since 2005 following Israel's disengagement and withdrawal of settlements. Construction work resumed last week, with military engineers building roads, checkpoints, and defence infrastructure. However, the construction remains incomplete. For now, trucks passing through the crossing are being inspected and screened at the nearby Kerem Shalom checkpoint.

The opening of the Kisufim crossing is expected to help increase aid to Gaza's southern and central areas, which have recently seen a large influx of displaced civilians from the northern Gaza Strip. The Israeli army has been directing civilians, especially those from the Jebaliya region, to the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, which was expanded further on November 11.

Israel also reported that it had met most of the US conditions for improving humanitarian conditions in Gaza, although some issues remain under negotiation. 

Despite progress on some fronts, Israel has not agreed to allow 50 to 100 commercial trucks to enter Gaza each day, citing concerns about Hamas’s influence over local businessmen. Restrictions on the entry of closed containers have also not been lifted.

The US State Department's letter from October 13 outlined specific conditions Israel was expected to meet to alleviate the humanitarian situation. While progress has been acknowledged, the US has expressed concern over the ongoing difficulties in Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar met with the US ambassador, expressing confidence that a mutual understanding would be reached. He stated that Israel had implemented measures to increase the security of humanitarian aid and expand the humanitarian zones.

However, amid Israel’s ongoing military operations in northern Gaza, food security experts have warned of the potential for famine in the region. Israel has firmly denied these claims, stating that it is actively working to meet the needs of Gaza's civilian population.

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reiterated that Washington is closely monitoring Israel’s actions to prevent a "policy of starvation" in Gaza.

Kisufim crossing will become the third route for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, joining the existing Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings.

In late October, senior officials from the UN World Food Programme and UNICEF privately urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to coordinate the flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

The UN reported that at least 312 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with 230 of them being UN staff. Meanwhile, the volume of aid reaching the Gaza Strip has plummeted to its lowest level in a year. The UN previously stated that in September, Israel had blocked half of the aid deliveries to northern Gaza.

By Tamilla Hasanova