Israel Temporarily Resumes Transit Of Goods To Gaza Strip - Palestinian Coordinator

Israel has permitted the flow of goods to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint for several hours, Raed Fattouh, the head of a Palestinian agency coordinating Gaza imports, told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2021) Israel has permitted the flow of goods to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint for several hours, Raed Fattouh, the head of a Palestinian agency coordinating Gaza imports, told Sputnik.

Israel blocked Kerem Shalom, the only checkpoint for imports to the Gaza Strip from its territory, amid the armed hostilities with Hamas. This included an averted supply of fuel to a Gaza power station as the Palestinian enclave was suffering severe electricity supplies, as well as of UN humanitarian aid.

"The Israeli authorities today [Friday] opened the Kerem Shalom checkpoint with the Gaza Strip for several hours for importing goods into the Palestinian enclave, which were kept in storage facilities before the escalation of the conflict," Fattouh said.

Clashes between Palestinians and the Israel's police in East Jerusalem in early May spiraled into the worst violence in years between their armed forces. Thousands of rockets were exchanged between Israel and Palestine's Hamas movement, controlling the Gaza Strip, before an Egypt-brokered ceasefire was concluded on Thursday night.

The 1.5-week armed hostilities killed 243 people in the Gaza Strip and 12 people in Israel.