Israel reopened the Zikim border crossing, the main entry point to northern Gaza, after two months of closure. The move came in response to repeated calls from the United Nations and international organizations to accelerate humanitarian aid flows.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense’s COGAT said, “Today, the Zikim crossing has been opened for humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip.” Aid entering from Zikim will undergo security checks before being distributed through the UN. A COGAT spokesperson confirmed that the border is planned to remain open permanently.

UN: Aid Access to Northern Gaza ‘Vital’

The reopening of Zikim marks the first time since the ceasefire that aid can directly enter northern Gaza. The border had previously been closed by the Israeli military for “security reasons.”

Currently, three crossings provide access to Gaza: Kerem Abu Salem in the south, el-Karara in central Gaza, and Zikim in the north.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated, “Opening direct access to the north is vital to ensure that sufficient aid reaches people in the shortest possible time.”

Nevertheless, the UN warns that the hunger crisis in Gaza remains at catastrophic levels. In August, a famine was declared in northern Gaza, with aid convoys from the south taking days to arrive.