Israel announced on Friday, the 5th of April, that it has approved the opening of two humanitarian routes to Gaza, including the Erez crossing and the temporary use of the Ashdod ports for aid deliveries, as well as allowing an increase in aid deliveries from Jordan through the Kerem Shalom crossing, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
The decision follows talks between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, during which Biden warned that Israel must take concrete steps to prevent civilian and humanitarian suffering if it is to maintain US support.
Biden essentially gave the Israeli government an ultimatum: take concrete steps or US policy on Gaza would be reversed.
This marks a significant departure from US policy and is the first attempt to use American aid to influence the course of the war in Gaza.
The increased pressure on Israel came after seven aid workers were killed in an Israeli attack on Monday evening, sparking international outrage over the ongoing crisis over aid deliveries to Gaza.
The US National Security Council welcomed the measures announced by Israel, which it said “must now be fully and swiftly implemented”. It added that US policy would be determined by the measures taken by Israel to protect “innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers”.
The opening of Israel’s Erez crossing is particularly significant after Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Israeli media in November that there would be “no more contact” between Israel and Gaza.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, a staunch Israeli ally, said in an interview on Thursday that Israel should stop the war in Gaza in order to achieve peace and “stop killing people”.
He said Israel was “absolutely losing the PR war” and should stop broadcasting videos of its airstrikes in Gaza. However, he added that Israel must finish the job.
Netanyahu is facing growing criticism both internationally and domestically over Israel’s actions in Gaza,
with aid deliveries to Gaza hampered by bureaucratic obstacles at Israeli checkpoints, which have led to significant queues of aid vehicles, and forced to use alternative, less efficient methods, such as air drops. However, these air deliveries have resulted in deaths.
A recent UN-backed report provided evidence that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is turning into a man-made famine. Israel denies that it is deliberately obstructing the delivery of aid, blaming instead UN agencies for failing to deliver aid effectively to Gaza.
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