Israel has said that it has given the go ahead for reopening of the Erez crossing into northern Gaza and the temporary use of Ashdod port in southern Israel.
A meeting of the security cabinet approved immediate steps to increase humanitarian aid to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, a statement said.
This comes in the midst of the US warning to Israel that Washington’s support to Israel’s offensive in Gaza is dependent on taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians.
The growing pressure on Israel came after the killing of seven aid workers in an Israeli strike, which triggered global outrage at the continuing crisis over aid deliveries into the besieged enclave.
So far, the U.S. president has resisted pressure to withhold aid or halt the shipment of weapons to the country. His warning marked the first time he has threatened to potentially condition aid, a development that could change the dynamic of the nearly six-month-old war.
Relations between both the leaders have nosedived over the past few months.
Biden in an interview with MSNBC in March has accused Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu of “hurting Israel ” through his administration’s treatment of Palestinians. He added that Netanyahu was not doing enough to protect civilians.
“But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken. He’s hurting, in my view, he is hurting Israel more than helping Israel … it’s contrary to what Israel stands for. And I think it’s a big mistake,” he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sharply reacted and rejected Biden’s rebuke of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. He said that the majority of Israelis supported him and said, “If he meant by that that I’m pursuing private policies against the majority, the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he’s wrong on both counts”.
With inputs from Reuters
