Israel approves reopening of Erez crossing to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza

The Israeli official said on Thursday that the border crossing would be opened to allow the flow of more humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Israeli Port of Ashdod has also been approved by the cabinet to allow more aid.

Notably, Erez Crossing, also known as Beit Hanoun, is a border crossing between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip. It has been reopened for the first time since the October 7 assault by Hamas.

Israel tightly controlled land crossings and banned all travel via air, sea to and from Gaza. Before the start of the conflict, there were two functional crossings within the enclave: Erez for the movement of people and Kerem Shalom for goods.

Israel''s move comes hours after US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a conversation on the phone, as they discussed the situation in Gaza.

Stating that strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation in Gaza are "unacceptable," Biden told Netanyahu on Thursday to implement "concrete and measurable steps" to address the civilian harm and the safety of aid workers.

According to the White House, "Biden made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that the US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel''s immediate action on these steps."

Biden underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged Netanyahu to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home.

The conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas, where about 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages.

Israel has characterised its Gaza offensive as targeting Hamas'' infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimise civilian casualties. (ANI)