(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
Early this afternoon, an IDF force identified three Palestinian gunmen trying to infiltrate through the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. A force that arrived on the scene fired at the gunmen and identified hitting two of them.
The Kerem Shalom crossing is the central lifeline for the Palestinian population used for the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. An average of 200 trucks containing food products, medical equipment, medications and various donations by international aid organizations are transferred into Gaza every week.
The Nahal Oz fuel terminal was forced to close again today after Palestinian snipers fired at the terminal. 437,000 liters of diesel fuel and 93 tons of gas were transferred through the crossing that reopened only yesterday despite the incident in which three IDF soldiers were killed.
The terrorist organizations, led by Hamas, continue in their efforts to disrupt the passage of humanitarian aid through the crossings. By doing so they hurt the Palestinian population and are making it difficult for Israel to address the humanitarian needs of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.