(Communicated by the IDF Spokesperson)
In the month of June, the amount of merchandise transported from Israel into the Gaza Strip increased. This comes after a decision by the Israel Security Cabinet's June decision to allow more products to be transferred into the Gaza Strip.
Over 3000 trucks have crossed from Israel into the Gaza Strip by way of the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings. Through the Erez crossing, which is intended for the transfer of people, approximately 2,500 Palestinians have entered Israel, which is a 25% increase from previous months.
Israel continues supplying the Gaza Strip with heating gas (approximately 4 million liters transferred during the month of June), cooking gas (4000 tons), and fuel (approximately 600,000 liters). In total, the amount of trucks from Israel which were entered into the Gaza Strip has increased by 12%.
The equipment that was unloaded from the Turkish flotilla will soon be transported into the Gaza Strip by the United Nations, after having undergone security checks by Israeli security forces. This comes after Hamas denied entrance and prevented the equipment from entering the Gaza Strip until now and was stored in Ministry of Defense warehouses.
In addition, a joint task force has been established by the Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (CoGAT) and the Palestinian Authority, which will work on advancing coordinated projects to be supervised by the international community. Following the 14 projects approved prior to the Cabinet decision (nine of them in different stages of implementation), 31 projects have been approved, including 17 USAID projects. Among the projects carried out in June:
- Completion of the transfer of equipment for the Tel Sultan pumping station project
- Continuation of the transfer of equipment for UNRWA's Summer Games
- Continuation of the delivery of construction materials for the completion of the UNRWA project - 151 housing units in Khan Yunis
- Approval for the entry of medical equipment by USAID for five hospitals and medical facilities
- Continuation of the delivery of containers to be used as classrooms in UNRWA's schools (during the month 92 containers were delivered to the Gaza Strip)
This task force is also working to find ways to increase the capacity of goods being transferred every day though the crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip.