Israel planning to open new border crossing into Gaza - report

The officials stated that according to the plan, which has yet to be finalized, the crossing is set to be opened in the area of Kibbutz Be’eri. 

 Palestinians walk beside a closed gate of the main commercial crossing of Karni linking the Gaza Strip and Israel,  September 15, 2008. (photo credit: Wissam Nassar/Flash90.)
Palestinians walk beside a closed gate of the main commercial crossing of Karni linking the Gaza Strip and Israel, September 15, 2008.
(photo credit: Wissam Nassar/Flash90.)

Israel plans to open a new crossing into the Gaza Strip, NBC reported on Tuesday, citing two Israeli military officials. 

The officials stated that according to the plan, which has yet to be finalized, the crossing is set to be opened in the area of Kibbutz Be’eri. 

The report comes amid mounting pressure on Israel to facilitate the entrance of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. 

US pressures Israel to enable the entrance of aid into Gaza 

Earlier this week, US Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the situation in Gaza in a speech in Alabama, calling on Israel to further enable the entrance of aid to Gaza and open land crossings into the Strip.

In addition, John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, commented on Monday on US efforts to airdrop aid into the Strip. He stated the US would continue its deliveries through such channels along with acting via sea. However, he emphasized the best route for delivering aid was through land convoys.

One such convoy which had entered Gaza through the Keren Shalom and Rafah crossings last week resulted in a stampede and the death of more than 100 Palestinians.

Last month, an ABC report, citing Israeli sources, claimed that Israel was expected to re-open the Karni border crossing with Gaza, which has been closed since 2011, to enable the entrance of humanitarian aid. 

Tovah Lazaroff and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this article.