Israel agreed to open another crossing for aid to get into Gaza, the Biden administration said late Thursday, a move seemingly aimed at tempering the U.S. president’s growing frustration over the dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
The Israeli government did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the announcement, which came hours after President Biden had a tense phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the call, Mr. Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council said that Israel had agreed to open the Erez crossing to allow aid into northern Gaza, to use the port of Ashdod to direct aid into the enclave and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan — “at the president’s request.”
“These steps,” the spokeswoman, Adrienne Watson, said, “must now be fully and rapidly implemented.”
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Israeli news outlets reported that the country’s war cabinet had decided early Friday morning local time to approve the measures. The Haaretz and Times of Israel newspapers said the provisions allowed for the “temporary” use of the Erez crossing and port of Ashdod, which sits about 16 miles north of Gaza on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.
Israel has come under rising pressure from U.S. officials and humanitarian agencies to open more border crossings for aid amid warnings from the United Nations that famine looms after nearly six months of war.
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Source: Elections - nytimes.com
