For the first time since October 7, aid reaches Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to Israel

According to Israeli officials, aid trucks made their first entry into the war-torn Gaza on Sunday through the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel since it was shut down on October 7 in response to Hamas attacks.

A total of 201 relief trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, 79 of which passed through Kerem Shalom, according to a statement from the Israeli office for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

In a previous statement, COGAT predicted that the opening of Kerem Shalom to trucks entering Gaza would result in more humanitarian aid reaching the Palestinian enclave.

The announcement comes after the Israeli government decided last week to permit inspections of relief trucks at Kerem Shalom for the first time since October 7.

In an emergency, the US government pressured Israel to reopen the Kerem Shalom border crossing so that aid trucks could enter Gaza directly.