Israel begins gradual opening of Gaza border crossings
Israel began gradually reopening its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning as a ceasefire took hold.
Delivery trucks at the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza on July 14, 2021. Photo by Majdi Fathi/TPS
Both the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings were closed as Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired more than 1,400 rockets at Israel during a five-day period. According to COGAT — a unit in the Israeli Defence Ministry that coordinates civilian issues between Israel, the Palestinians and international aid organisations — dozens of rockets were fired at the two crossings.
The Erez Crossing in the northern area of Gaza reopened at 8:00 am. This terminal, the only crossing point for pedestrian traffic, is primarily used by international personnel such as diplomats, aid workers, journalists and also Palestinians with permits to leave Gaza, such as for work, business or medical treatment.
The Kerem Shalom Crossing, located at the convergence of the Gaza, Israeli and Egyptian borders, is used by all trucks delivering goods from both Israel and Egypt to the Strip. COGAT said Kerem Shalom would reopen at 11:00 am.
COGAT’s announcement came as an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire held through Saturday night.
“Israel’s acceptance of the Egyptian initiative means that ‘quiet will be met with quiet’, and that if Israel is attacked or threatened, it will continue to do everything that it needs to in order to defend itself,” said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Inside Israel, restrictions on crowd sizes and requirements to remain close to bomb shelters were lifted on Sunday morning for towns between 7-40 km from the Gaza border. The Home Front Command said that restrictions on communities closer to the Strip will remain in effect until noon.
Israeli air strikes on Islamic Jihad leaders and military targets came against the backdrop of a rocket barrage fired by the terror group following the death of Khader Adnan on May 2. The imprisoned Adnan, a senior Islamic Jihad figure, died after an 86-day hunger strike. The terror group had threatened throughout Adnan’s hunger strike that it would hold Israel responsible for its member’s death.
