Israel to re-open crossing into central Gaza as humanitarian crisis worsens

The Israeli military said on Friday it was planning to reopen the Kissufim crossing into central Gaza to increase the flow of aid into the southern end of the Gaza Strip.

The move comes amid growing international pressure on Israel to get more aid into Gaza, where aid agencies have warned of a gathering humanitarian crisis in the north of the enclave, where Israeli troops have been conducting a major operation for more than a month.

The new crossing would be opened following engineering work over recent weeks by army engineers to build inspection points and paved roads, the army said.

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Amid the fierce battles on the ground, Palestinian and UN officials say there are no safe areas in the enclave, most of whose 2.3 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote to Israeli officials demanding concrete measures to address the worsening situation in the Palestinian enclave.

• UN Palestinian agency says Israel ban likely to cause 'collapse' of Gaza aid work