Israel reopens Zikim crossing to allow aid trucks into Northern Gaza

Jerusalem, Nov 12 (IANS) Israel said on Wednesday it has reopened the Zikim crossing to allow humanitarian aid trucks into northern Gaza.

"Today, the Zikim crossing has been opened for the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip," said a statement from the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a body under Israel's Defence Ministry responsible for carrying out the government's civilian and humanitarian policies in the Palestinian territories.

The statement added that the aid would be delivered by the United Nations and international organizations after undergoing "thorough security inspections" by the Land Crossings Authority of the Defence Ministry, and that the move followed a "directive of the political echelon."

The UN and international aid agencies have long urged Israel to reopen crossings to northern Gaza so that more supplies can reach the area hit hard by the war, Xinhua news agency reported. The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a situation update in late October that "the opening of direct crossings to the north is vital to ensure that sufficient aid reaches people as soon as possible."

Aid delivery to Gaza has been hampered by intensive Israeli security inspections and strict restrictions on permitted goods, humanitarian officials say.

Even after trucks enter the enclave, distributing supplies remains difficult due to widespread infrastructure destruction and the risk of looting.

The United Nations and its partners have fed more than one million people in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire took effect one month ago, a senior UN official said on Monday.

"One month after the Gaza ceasefire, we are continuing to seize every opportunity to save lives," said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a statement.

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took effect on October 10, nutrition sites have been reopened, hospitals are treating more patients, roads have been cleared, and vital immunizations have been resumed, he said.

--IANS

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