Israel to open Erez border crossing for first time since Oct. 7

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Israel's Security Cabinet okayed the opening of the Erez Crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, the only border crossing allowing direct travel from Gaza to the West Bank, for the first time since it was damaged on October 7, The Times of Israel reported.

The move came following the strike by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on the World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers. The country will also temporarily open up the Ashdod Port for deliveries of aid, in a bid to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to the Prime Minister's office. Additionally, Israel will increase the amount of aid coming in from Jordan through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

"The increased aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is critical...

Full Article:  Israel to open Erez border crossing for first time since Oct. 7 - B...

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[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke yesterday with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. The two

discussed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Israeli efforts to ensure the defeat of Hamas and the need to secure the release of all hostages, said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during a briefing today. 

Also part of the discussion was the need for an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, Ryder said. 

"Secretary Austin again raised the need for a rapid increase of aid coming through all crossings in the coming days, particularly to communities in northern Gaza that are at risk of famine," Ryder said. 

The Gaza Strip, which is about 25 miles long, lies entirely inside Israel and shares a border to the south with Egypt. There are three locations along its border where humanitarian supplies could move into Gaza from either Egypt or Israel. Those locations include the Erez crossing in northern Gaza and the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza. Both of those crossings connect Gaza to Israel. The Rafah crossing is on the Gaza border with Egypt.  

Right now, all three crossings are either closed or have limited availability.  

The U.S. has continued to press the Israeli government to allow more aid to flow though all available land crossings. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. is planning a maritime route from the Mediterranean Sea onto the shore of Gaza using the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, also called JLOTS. 

Using JLOTS, DOD will build a floating pier and then push it onto the shore of Gaza. Once that capability is in place and is fully operational, it's expected as many as 2 million humanitarian aid meals per day could be delivered into Gaza. 

The ships carrying the JLOTS equipment and the service members who will assemble it are now en route to the Mediterranean Sea. 

"We expect to achieve ... full operations capability by the end of the month [or] early May," Ryder said. "Of course, we are working to move as quickly as we can on that front. Once operational, … the capability that that will provide is the ability to send upwards of 2 million meals per day into Gaza." 

Full artcle:  Austin Calls for 'Rapid Increase' of Aid Into Gaza Through All Cros...

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[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Administration officials had said before that announcement that the U.S. would assess whether the Israeli moves go far enough.

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,” the White House said in a statement following the leaders’ call. “He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

Biden also told Netanyahu that reaching an “immediate cease-fire” in exchange for the estimated 100 hostages that are still being held in Gaza was “essential” and urged Israel to reach such an accord “without delay,” according to the White House. Administration officials described the conversation as “direct” and “honest.”

Full Article:  Biden urges Netanyahu for an immediate ceasefire after World Centra...

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

One day after President Joe Biden said he was “outraged and heartbroken” over an Israel Defense Force attack that

killed seven World Central Kitchen team members distributing food in Gaza, WCK founder José Andrés gave an emotional interview to Reuters in which he said, “What I know is that we were targeted deliberately, nonstop until everybody was dead in this convoy.”

Full article:  José Andrés: IDF Attack "Deliberately" Targeted World Central Kitch...