Israel reopens Zikim crossing to allow aid trucks into Gaza

GAZA STRIP

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Israel reopened the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave on Wednesday, COGAT said.

"Today, the Zikim crossing has been opened for the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip," COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said on X.

When contacted by AFP, a COGAT spokesman said the crossing would now remain open "permanently," like the Kerem Shalom crossing into southern Gaza, through which the bulk of aid has been transferred since the war began in October 2023.

COGAT said that humanitarian aid entering Gaza through Zikim, the main access point to Gaza's hard-hit north, would be subject to the usual Israeli security checks prior to entering, before being dispatched via the UN.

UN aid agencies have been calling for the reopening of the crossing for more aid to flow into the devastated northern part of the enclave, especially after last month's Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

The UN humanitarian office (OCHA) said that the crossing was shut on Sept. 12 and no aid groups have been able to import supplies since.

Israel's military has not responded to a request for comment on its reasons for the closure.