New aid routes into Gaza to open after US intervention

By Nathan Morley

This move is understood to be in response to a specific request from the US president Joe Biden made during a phone call with the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Now, Israel says it will reopen new routes to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip.

Reports from Jerusalem suggest the Erez crossing will be temporarily reopened for the first time since Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel last year.

A statement from Netanyahu's office, said Ashdod will also receive shipments of aid to Gaza, and Jordanian aid will be delivered in increased volumes through the land-crossing at Kerem Shalom.

United Nations experts have warned that the majority of Gazans are facing famine caused by Israel's six-month-long onslaught and blockade. Israel has cut the supply of food, water, power, and gas to Gaza since the conflict erupted last October.

Meanwhile, World Central Kitchen has demanded an independent investigation into the killing of seven staff members in an Israeli aerial strike in central Gaza.

The statement said an independent investigation was the only way to determine the truth of what happened, ensure transparency and accountability for those responsible, and prevent future attacks on humanitarian aid workers.

On Wednesday, six of the aid workers' bodies were transported through the Rafah crossing to be repatriated for burial. The attack has met with denunciation from the international community and United Nations.

Earlier, the Israeli military fired senior officers involved with the airstrike.