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EU: Israel has agreed to more aid to Gaza

EU: Israel has agreed to more aid to Gaza

The European Union reached an agreement with Israel on Thursday to increase aid access to Gaza, meaning more trucks could enter and more crossing points could be opened, the bloc's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said.

"Today, we have reached an agreement with Israel to expand access to humanitarian aid in Gaza," Kallas wrote in a post on X - formerly Twitter.

"The agreement means more crossings, aid and aid trucks into Gaza, for the repair of vital infrastructure and the protection of aid workers. We count on Israel to implement every measure we have agreed to," Kallas wrote, among other things.

Gaza's two million residents are facing dire humanitarian conditions as Israel has restricted the entry of aid as it battles Hamas - the Palestinian group designated a terrorist group by the United States and other powers.

Through a statement, Kallas said that the measures "will be implemented in the coming days, with the idea that aid should be delivered directly to the people."

She said that the measures include "increasing the number of trucks with food and non-food aid into Gaza, opening more crossing points, including reopening roads from Jordan and Egypt."

The announcement comes as Israel and Hamas continue to discuss the details of a US-backed ceasefire to end the war.

The EU has been considering taking measures against Israel, saying it has violated pacts between the two sides through its actions in Gaza.

However, the 27-member bloc has had difficulty finding consensus due to the strong support of some countries for Israel and others for the Palestinians.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants attacked communities on the Israeli border on October 7, 2023, leading to the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians.

At least 57,680 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, have been killed as a result of Israel's retaliatory actions, according to Palestinian health authorities./ REL

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