Israel announces opening of aid routes into Gaza after US warned of changing Israel policy

RSS (ANI)/BBC: Israel has announced on Friday that it would allow “temporary” aid deliveries into northern Gaza, hours after the United States warned of a sharp shift in its policy over the Gaza war.

According to ANI news agency, in a tense, 30-minute phone call on Thursday, US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that US policy on Israel was dependent on the protection of civilians and aid workers in Gaza.

Just hours later, in the middle of the night in Jerusalem, Israel announced it would open more aid routes into blockaded Gaza.

Israel’s war cabinet authorised “temporary” aid deliveries via the Ashdod Port and the Erez land crossing, as well as increased deliveries from neighbouring Jordan at the Kerem Shalom crossing.

The White House quickly welcomed the moves — calling them “at the president’s request” — and saying they “must now be fully and rapidly implemented”.

Israel has come under mounting international pressure over the toll inflicted by its six-month war on Hamas, and drawn increasingly tough rebuke from main backer Washington.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military says it has sacked two senior officers after seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers were killed in a strike in Gaza on Monday.

The Israeli Defence Force as quoted by the BBC said the brigade fire support commander and the brigade chief of staff will both be dismissed from their positions. It says the brigade commander and the 162nd division commander will be “formally reprimanded”.

WCK has called for an independent commission to investigate the killings.