Israel agrees to expand humanitarian aid to Gaza after call between Joe Biden and Netanyahu

Israel will take “immediate measures” to increase the amount of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, after US President Joe Biden urged last Thursday, April 4, to improve the situation in the enclave in a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This increase in assistance will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is essential to ensure the continuation of fighting and achieve war objectives.

“This increased assistance will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is essential to ensure the continuation of fighting and achieve the objectives of the war,” said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office on the decisions taken by the war cabinet at its meeting. last night.

Thus, Israel to allow temporary provision of aid through Ashdod portin southern Israel, as well as by the Erez crossingwhich directly accesses the north of the Strip, in addition to increasing the flow of aid from Jordan that enters through the Kerem Shalom crossing, in the south.

The Erez crossing will open for the first time, since the start of the war, a claim by humanitarian agencies and the international community, since it allows the entry of food and aid directly to the north of the enclave, where the situation is most serious and It is estimated that some 300,000 live in famine.which has already killed 34 people, including 31 children.

Biden and Netanyahu had a phone call on Thursday, April 4, in which The American warned that US support for the war in the Strip could change if it did not take “concrete” actions to minimize harm to civilians and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, after a convoy of the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) was attacked on Monday up to three times, killing seven of its employees.

The US welcomed the move and called for it to be implemented “fully and quickly,” according to a White House statement.

We are prepared to work in full coordination with the government of Israel, the governments of Jordan and Egypt, the United Nations and humanitarian organizations

“We are prepared to work in full coordination with the government of Israel, the governments of Jordan and Egypt, the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, in order to ensure that these important steps are implemented and result in a significant increase in humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in dire need over the coming days and weeks“he indicated.

During the month of March, An average of 159 trucks a day entered Gaza carrying food and basic necessitieswhich represents an increase compared to previous months, but before the war half a thousand did it a day, which also included other supplies, construction materials and fuel, according to the United Nations.

So far, Israel has only allowed aid to enter through two of the seven crossings into the enclave.: Rafah, between Egypt and Gaza; and
Kerem Shalom, in its territory that connects with the south of the Strip; after subjecting the convoys to exhaustive controls that slow down the process, in addition to the difficulties in reaching the north from them in the face of the widespread destruction of the enclave.

EFE

More news in EL TIEMPO