Israel Permanently Opens Zikim Crossing for Aid Into Northern Gaza
The step establishes a UN-run northern route subject to Israeli security checks after a months-long closure.
Overview
- COGAT announced on X that the Zikim crossing opened for humanitarian trucks entering the Gaza Strip.
- A COGAT spokesperson told AFP the crossing will remain permanently open, paralleling the Kerem Shalom route in the south.
- Aid will be transferred by the UN and other international organizations following inspections by Israel’s Land Crossings Authority under a political directive.
- The UN’s humanitarian office reported Zikim had been closed since September 12, with no aid shipments moving through during that period.
- UN agencies had pressed for a northern entry point as Kerem Shalom has carried most assistance since October 2023, while AFP imagery showed Red Cross teams operating in southern Gaza.