Why Israel may reopen a key crossing with Gaza

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April 6, 2024 at 2:10 p.m. EDT
Israeli tanks at the Erez crossing on the Israel-Gaza border on Jan. 20. (Heidi Levine for The Washington Post/FTWP)
5 min

Facing pressure to get more aid into the Gaza Strip, Israel said this week it is working toward opening the Erez crossing, a major checkpoint between Israel and northern Gaza.

Jamie McGoldrick, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, said in a statement Saturday that Israel “plans to open Erez Crossing temporarily to move much needed food, water and sanitation items, shelter and health materials from Ashdod port” in southern Israel, north of the Erez crossing. But the timing of the reopening remains unclear. McGoldrick said on Friday that Israel had not yet ratified the decision to open the crossing, and that once approved, the checkpoint would not be operational for a few weeks.

The reopening could help move assistance into hunger-stricken northern Gaza, but may face the same challenges seen throughout the war.

Here’s what to know.

Israel-Gaza war

Israeli strikes that killed seven World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza were “carried out in serious violation” of the military’s procedures and were a “grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification” of vehicles as carrying Hamas operatives, according to the findings of an Israeli military investigation.

Israel-Gaza war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel that included the taking of civilian hostages at a music festival. (See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded). Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948.

Gaza crisis: In Gaza, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars, killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “famine-like conditions.” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.

U.S. involvement: Despite the tensions between Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians, including Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons, funds aid packages, and has vetoed or abstained from U.N. cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip.