Israel has decided to close the Kerem Salom crossing into the Gaza Strip, through which emergency humanitarian aid was being transported to the besieged Palestinian enclave following the shelling, Israeli authorities said.
Shells were fired at the Kerem Salom crossing “at the time of the entry of trucks carrying humanitarian aid from international humanitarian organizations,” said Cogat, an Israeli body in charge of civilian operations in the Palestinian territories. “It was decided to stop the entry of other trucks.”
Earlier, the United Nations welcomed the opening by the Israeli authorities of the Kerem Salom crossing to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip after nine days of fighting and called for the opening of the Erez crossing.
“We welcome the opening by the Israeli authorities of the Kerem Salom crossing,” said Jens Larke, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva. “It is important to open the Erez Pass for the entry and exit of humanitarian personnel,” he added.
The need for humanitarian aid is great in the Gaza Strip, which has been under air, land and sea blockade for fifteen years. As of May 10, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed in the Palestinian enclave, including 61 children from Israeli airstrikes. On the Israeli side, Hamas rockets have killed 10 people on Israeli soil, including a child.
The crisis threatens to wreak havoc, and the United Nations estimates that 47,000 Palestinians have been displaced by the conflict, and about 130 buildings in the Palestinian enclave have been destroyed.
