Israel claims to have opened Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza amid attack on Rafah

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - The Israeli authorities on Wednesday announced the reopening of the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing with Gaza following a few days of its closure.

The crossing, also known as Karm Abu Salem crossing, is located in the southern Gaza Strip, near Rafah, which is being attacked by the Israeli forces as of Tuesday.

According to the Israeli army's liaison office to the Palestinian territories, known as the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the crossing "is now open for the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip."

It said the crossing was closed on Sunday following a Hamas rocket attack on the area where the crossing is located, and left four soldiers killed.

"Aid trucks are already arriving at the crossing. After a thorough security inspection, they will be transferred to the Gazan side," COGAT added.

The crossing is the main terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza.

The Israeli army on Tuesday started its invasion into the eastern area of Rafah under which the Israeli army stormed and occupied the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, closing Gazan Palestinians' only gateway with the world.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas which killed about 1,200 people. Nearly 34,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and 78,100 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Over seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.