Israel opens a vital border crossing to allow more aid to reach Gaza.

In response to US demands to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, Israel has approved the temporary use of the Ashdod port in southern Israel and the reopening of the Erez crossing into northern Gaza. US President Joe Biden threatened to impose conditions on US aid if Israel did not take "specific, concrete" action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during a Thursday night phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a statement from White House stated :

The two leaders discussed the situation in Gaza. President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable. He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps. He underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged the Prime Minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home. The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people. President Biden made clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats.

The White house said “The United States Government is prepared to work in full coordination with the Government of Israel, the Governments of Jordan and Egypt, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations, to ensure that these important steps are implemented and result in a significant increase in humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in dire need throughout Gaza over the coming days and weeks.”

Meanwhile, The National Security Council Spokesperson Adrianne Watson said “We welcome the steps announced by the Israeli government tonight at the President’s request following his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu. These steps, including a commitment to open the Ashdod port for the direct delivery of assistance into Gaza, to open the Erez crossing for a new route for assistance to reach north Gaza, and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan directly into Gaza, must now be fully and rapidly implemented”.

He added “As the President said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers. We are prepared to work in full coordination with the Government of Israel, the Governments of Jordan and Egypt, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations, to ensure that these important steps are implemented and result in a significant increase in humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in dire need throughout Gaza over the coming days and weeks.”

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Following a 48-hour break caused by Israeli forces killing seven World Central Kitchen relief workers in a convoy delivering food in the enclave—where intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations continue—UN officials began assessment visits to Gaza on Thursday. The UN's agencies will then resume nighttime aid deliveries.

“The situation in Gaza is disastrous,” World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Once again, WHO demands a ceasefire. Once again, we call for all hostages to be released, and for lasting peace.”

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Thursday that because of what happened to World Central Kitchen “we had to pause to regroup and reassess”, adding that a convoy will deployed tonight, “hopefully making it to the north”.

Top UN officials have been warning that famine looms in northern Gaza as Israel continues to block and delay aid entry, especially in the north.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is delivering 150 tonnes, out of a total of 1500 tonnes, of animal fodder to 2 450 livestock-keeping households in the Gaza Strip to safeguard surviving animals and support local production of fresh nutritious food like milk, dairy, eggs and meat amidst an imminent risk of famine.

This is the first time much-needed animal fodder has entered the Strip since the escalation of hostilities, which has caused the collapse of agrifood value chains, contributing to rapid deterioration of acute food insecurity in Gaza, with famine conditions emerging in the north of the Gaza strip.

To recall, The nonprofit World Central Kitchen (WCK) and Australian Government are demanding an impartial, outside probe into the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza this week that resulted in the deaths of seven of its employees.

To date, Israeli armed forces have killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, in response to Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October that left almost 1,200 people dead and 240 taken hostage.

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