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Monday, December 22, 2008

Israel allows aid into Gaza

Almost completely unreported by anyone:
Convoys carrying food and medical aid worth six million pounds ($1 million) sent by the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Monday await inspection at the Israeli controlled Karam Abu-Salem [Kerem Shalom] border crossing.

Mohamed Orabi, the head of the organization in North Sinai, told AlArabiya.net that five trucks were loaded with 40 tons of flour, 20 tons of rice and some medical supplies and sent to Gaza Strip.

An Egyptian official at the Rafah border crossing said Egyptian authorities had agreed with Israel to allow the trucks in on Monday however through the Karam Abu-Salem border so that Israel could ascertain that no weapons were being smuggled into the Strip.
Remember that some 34 Qassams and 30 mortars were fired into Israel from Gaza over the past three days, including three rockets today.

Egypt was originally going to ship these goods through Rafah but appears to have decided that going through Israel would strengthen Egypt's claim that Israel is still legally occupying Gaza.

CORRECTION: The goods are still waiting at Kerem Shalom as of Tuesday morning.