This story was printed from channelnewsasia.com

Title : Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza
By :
Date : 05 January 2009 1717 hrs (SST)
URL : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/400317/1/.html

JERUSALEM - Israel allowed a convoy of humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip on Monday, as it pressed on with a massive offensive on Hamas in the enclave, the army said.

"A convoy of 80 trucks transporting humanitarian aid has started to pass through the Kerem Shalom crossing" in the south, a military spokesman said.

The aid included medicine and food which was sent from Egypt, Jordan, Greece and UN aid agencies, he said.

The Nahal Oz terminal in the north was also opened on Monday to allow the transfer of 200,000 litres of fuel for Gaza's electricity station as well as 120 tonnes of cooking gas, he said.

The Erez crossing in the north meantime was opened to allow some 200 Palestinian holders of foreign passports to leave the territory.

Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign of Hamas targets in Gaza on December 27 in response to consistent rocket fire from the territory and poured in ground troops to back up the bombardments a week later.

Aid groups have repeatedly warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in the densely-populated territory, where most of the 1.5 million residents depend on foreign aid.

- AFP/ir



Israeli army moves on Gaza City as war toll passes 515
Dark and cold Gaza waits for help as Israel steps up war
China's Hu concerned about "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza
Olmert refuses to call off Gaza offensive


Copyright © MediaCorp Pte Ltd
<< back to channelnewsasia.com