Erez Border Crossing Opened for Entry of Humanitarian Aid Into Gaza - IDF

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israel has, for the first time since the beginning of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, opened the Erez border crossing, which is the only one in the north of the enclave, as part of the efforts to increase the deliveries of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

"As part of the effort to increase the quantity and routes for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, for the first time since the beginning of the war, the IDF ... opened the Erez Crossing ... after careful security inspection, 30 trucks of humanitarian aid including food and medical supplies for the northern part of the Gaza Strip, arrived from Jordan and entered Gaza today," the IDF said on Telegram on Wednesday.

The IDF added that the entry of humanitarian assistance through the border crossing became possible after "engineering work" to build "the renewed crossing."

"Using engineering tools, the renewed crossing was built, having previously been used only as a civilian crossing. The forces constructed inspection and protection infrastructure in the area and paved roads in both Israeli and Gazan territory, enabling the entry of substantial amounts of aid to the northern part of the Gaza Strip," the statement read.

On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted during the attack. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 34,400 people have been killed so far by Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities.