The Israeli government has announced the start of humanitarian aid deliveries via the reopened Kissufim Crossing, a move driven by directives from the political leadership and aimed at bolstering the flow and routes of aid into the Gaza Strip. This initiative, which began on Tuesday, involves the dispatch of humanitarian aid trucks carrying essentials such as food, water, medical supplies and shelter materials to central and southern Gaza.
The decision has sparked outrage among the residents of Kibbutz Kissufim, who have expressed their anger in a letter to President Joe Biden, describing their feelings as a "personal and national trauma." This development comes amid significant American pressure and the looming threat of a U.S. arms embargo unless humanitarian aid deliveries increase, though the latter has subsided following the election of Donald Trump.
The crossing's opening was coordinated with Israeli forces through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Southern Command, and the Land Crossings Authority within the Ministry of Defense. The aid was permitted entry into Gaza following security inspections at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
In their letter to President Biden, members of Kibbutz Kissufim emphasized: "The place called 'Kissufim Crossing' is the point from which hundreds of Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians crossed on October 7 with the intention to murder, rape and burn the surrounding kibbutzim - including Kissufim."
They expressed gratitude to the U.S. president for his support of Israel but noted that they were informed about the crossing's reopening, reportedly at his request, through media reports.
"Through this crossing, dozens of Israelis were kidnapped, including 87-year-old Shlomo Mansour, who is still captive," they said. "The opening of the crossing fuels our personal and national trauma. It is unacceptable. We expect the 101 hostages to return through this crossing - soon. You know how deep our pain is."
Mansour’s daughter, Moshit, addressed the proximity of the Kissufim Crossing to the kibbutz, highlighting the continued absence of the hostages for 403 days and criticizing Israel's prioritization of humanitarian aid to Gaza over the security and well-being of its own citizens. “The hostages have not returned, bringing Gaza residents closer to the Kissufim border fence, and continue to abandon the lives of the soldiers in the fighting without clear targets," she said.
The situation escalated when the IDF reported the discovery of ammunition within a humanitarian aid convoy in Gaza for the first time. During a coordinated international convoy monitored by military forces, suspicion arose of unusual movement, prompting a security inspection at the humanitarian corridor between the north and south of the strip. Israeli forces found a bag containing ammunition for firearms. The military detailed that those involved, along with convoy members, were detained for field investigation by Unit 504, with further handling by IDF and security forces.
This incident surfaces as the Israeli cabinet deliberates on expanding aid to Gazans, a decision already being implemented by the military with dozens of daily truck deliveries. The policy shift comes under intense American pressure, despite concerns the aid might be seized by Hamas.
According to a report by The Guardian, the volume of aid entering Gaza has plummeted to its lowest level since December 2023, amid U.S. arms embargo threats. COGAT's data prompted the cabinet to address the issue in a recent discussion, resulting in the decision to expand aid, although visits to Gazan detainees remain prohibited. Officials in Jerusalem hope that upcoming diplomatic engagements in Washington will alleviate the threat.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, closely associated with Prime Minister Netanyahu, is slated to meet with senior U.S. officials and President-elect Donald Trump, while President Isaac Herzog will confer with outgoing President Joe Biden. The American ultimatum, demanding Israeli compliance within 30 days, was issued on October 13 and is nearing its deadline. It remains uncertain what measures, if any, the U.S. administration will adopt against Israel should it fail to meet Washington's demands.
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