Israel has announced the reopening of the main crossing point for humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip, amidst new military attacks across the Palestinian territory and an ongoing offensive in southern Rafah.
The Karem Abu Salem crossing, also known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, was closed by Israeli forces following a Palestinian rocket attack that resulted in the death of four soldiers.
Despite the indication of the frontier's reopening in Rafah on the border with Egypt, aid trucks had not yet begun to enter the enclave by Wednesday. Israeli tanks seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on Tuesday, cutting off crucial aid supplies and preventing the injured from leaving. This action followed a military incursion into the city on Monday, with 400,000 people being ordered to evacuate from the densely populated eastern sector or face death.
The primary targets of the attacks that occurred on Wednesday were centered around the as-Salam neighborhood located in eastern Rafah. Due to the imminent invasion, the main treatment facility in the area, Al-Najjar Hospital, was compelled to shut down as the staff evacuated for their safety.
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alongside Egypt and the United States, serves as a significant international mediator. They have expressed concern that Israel's forced displacement of civilians from Rafah would not only violate international laws but also worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for immediate international intervention to prevent the invasion of the city, halt the potential occurrence of genocide, and ensure the complete protection of civilians in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.
Egyptian media announced on Wednesday that the ceasefire negotiations had recommenced in Cairo with the participation of all parties.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed that an extensive attack on Rafah would result in a "humanitarian disaster", while UNICEF cautioned that a ground invasion of Rafah would bring about catastrophic dangers for children.
"Rafah is currently a city populated by children, who have no secure place to seek refuge in Gaza. If large-scale military actions commence, not only will children be in danger due to the violence, but also due to disorder and panic, especially at a time when their physical and mental conditions are already fragile," stated Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza strongly criticized Israel's control over the Rafah crossing, which now oversees all of the enclave's borders.
"The closure of the Rafah border has hindered the entry of trucks transporting medicine, medical supplies, and fuel essential for hospitals, and has also prevented the departure of numerous injured individuals and patients who were awaiting travel," a spokesperson declared.
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