The Government of Israel authorized this FridayThe entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom postto decongest the only one authorized so far, that of Rafah.

Kerem Shalom, in southern Israel near Egypt, already functions as a checkpoint for aid trucks going to the Palestinian Strip, but once checked they have to cross through the Rafah crossing, which causes “great congestion” thereaccording to a statement from the Israeli Government.

“Israel committed – with the United States – to transfer two hundred trucks a day of food and humanitarian aid from Egypt for the civilian population of Gaza,” he recalled.

But the Rafah crossing, on the border with Egypt, has capacity for only one hundred trucks a day, which “prevented the implementation of the agreement between Israel and the United States,” added Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Executive.

“The temporary measure of unloading the trucks on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, instead of having them return to Rafah,” seeks expedite the entry of aid in compliance with that commitmentaccording to the statement.

“The United States is committed to paying for the Rafah crossing upgrade as soon as possible,” he added.

Nearly 18,800 Palestinians killed since the start of the Israeli offensive

Rafah concentrates nearly 1.8 million Gazans displaced within the Striparound 80 percent of the population of the Strip, with a serious humanitarian crisis, due to Israel’s military offensive in the coastal enclave.

On October 7, the Islamist group Hamas launched an attack against Israel that caused more than 1,200 deaths and nearly 240 kidnapped people who were taken to Gaza.

Israel declared a state of war and began a military operation by air, land and sea in the Palestinian enclave, where there are already Nearly 18,800 dead and more than 50,800 injuredaccording to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.