By RIA Novosti,
Gaza : Israel has agreed to open a border crossing with Gaza for UN humanitarian cargo for the first time in two weeks, a Gaza border official told a local radio station on Monday.
A convoy of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), consisting of 13 trucks carrying milk products and 18 trucks with other food, has been waiting on the border since November 13, as Israel has refused to open the crossing into the Hamas-controlled territory.
Until last week, UNRWA had been providing food and other humanitarian aid to around 750,000 people in Gaza, almost half of the impoverished enclave’s total population.
Israel closed its border with Gaza after a violation of a five-month ceasefire by Palestinian militants in response to an Israeli attack, which killed six Palestinians. However, no Israeli casualties or damage were reported.
The fuel shortages forced Gaza’s sole power plant to shut down on November 10, causing blackouts in Gaza. Israel resumed limited fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip the next day.