Israel has agreed to open another crossing and increase the flow of aid to Gaza, a move apparently aimed at cooling the US president’s growing frustration with the enclave’s dire humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli government confirmed the new measures in an overnight statement, after the Biden administration announced them late Thursday following a tense phone call between President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the call, Mr. Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
In a statement, a spokesman for the National Security Council said Israel had agreed to open the Erez crossing to allow aid into northern Gaza, to use the port of Ashdod to direct aid to the enclave and to significantly increase deliveries. from Jordan – “at the request of the president.”
“These measures,” said spokeswoman Adrienne Watson, “must now be fully and quickly implemented.”
The Israeli government has not said when it will reopen the Erez crossing, a checkpoint between Israel and northern Gaza that Hamas attacked on October 7 and that Israel has refused to reopen ever since. It said only that Israel would allow “temporary delivery” of aid through the Erez crossing and the port of Ashdod, which is 16 miles north of Gaza on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.
Israel is under increasing pressure from US officials and humanitarian agencies to open more border crossings for aid amid warnings from the United Nations that famine is looming after nearly six that month of war.
Mr. Biden has been increasingly critical of Israel’s approach to the war against Hamas in Gaza, saying more must be done to protect civilians. The killing of seven aid workers this week by Israeli forces appeared to bring this to a head, with Mr. Biden saying he was “outraged” and that Israel “has not done enough to protect civilians.”
That frustration carried over into his call with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday, when Mr. Biden tried for the first time to use American aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas — prompting Israel to pledge to getting more food and supplies into Gaza.
“As the president said today in the address, US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s prompt action on these and other measures, including measures to protect the innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” said Ms. Watson in the statement.
The most dire shortages are in northern Gaza, where desperation has driven people to flock to aid trucks and where aid groups say they have struggled to deliver supplies because of Israeli restrictions and widespread lawlessness.
Almost all aid allowed into Gaza since the start of the war has entered through two main crossings: Kerem Shalom and Rafah, both on the southern side of the enclave. But getting truck convoys from the southern border crossing to the north is difficult and dangerous, and the route is sometimes blocked by roads damaged by Israeli bombing, Israeli checkpoints or fighting between Hamas fighters and Israeli troops.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, in a call with his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday, “also raised the need for a rapid increase in aid arriving at all crossings in the coming days,” according to the Pentagon.
Late last month, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered Israel to ensure “the provision of unhindered assistance” to Gaza, using some of its strongest language. Israel has denied accusations that it is responsible for aid delivery delays.
Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting.
