Despite the constant fire into Israel, the Kerem Shalom crossing remains open during Operation Protective Edge and the flow of goods and fuel into the Gaza Strip continues.

There is no shortage of food or fuel in Gaza and there are no signs of a humanitarian crisis. Medicines and medical equipment have passed continuously as well through the two crossings.

While the entry of larger quantities of food was approved to alleviate the fears of the Palestinian population, the ban on cement and equipment that could be used by terrorist organizations remains in effect.

The Kerem Shalom crossing continues to operate with high security. The IDF acceded to the request of hundreds of Palestinians who hold foreign citizenship to leave the Gaza Strip - including the USA, Sweden, Greece, Serbia and Romania. The Erez Crossing in northern Gaza also remains open to Palestinians pedestrians for humanitarian cases.

General Yoav Mordechai, Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories, noted that terrorist organizations daily attack the crossing through which Israel allowed trucks carrying supplies to enter the Gaza Strip.

• On 28 July a young Palestinian child suffering from cancer was treated at the COGAT field hospital. The doctors sent him for further care in Israel.
  
• On 28 July, COGAT facilitated the repair of two of the electrical feeder lines from Israel to northern Gaza. These lines provide electricity for roughly 110,000 people. Over the course of the operation all ten feeder lines from Israel have been damaged. Many have had multiple repairs, frequently due to overload problems that result from damage to the other lines. Repairs are often delayed due to security threats.
• On 28 July, due to the Eid el Fitr holiday, only goods and equipment from international donors were transferred through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, including 60 tons of medicines and medical supplies.
• On July 29, 158 trucks were scheduled to cross into Gaza. However, due to the security situation and Hamas rockets, only 43 trucks arrived at Kerem Shalom.
  

Field hospital for wounded Palestinians from Gaza

The IDF, in cooperation with  the Red Crescent, has opened a field hospital at the Erez Crossing, on the Gaza border, to treat wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.  The field hospital contains an emergency room, lab, pharmacy, pediatric ward, ambulatory clinic, gynecology unit, family and internal medicine, and is equipped to treat dozens of patients.

Since the field hospital opened on 20 July, doctors and staff have attended to over 40 patients. Some have been treated and released, some treated and sent on for additional care at a hospital, and some sent immediately for hospital care. Unfortunately, Hamas has directly and indirectly prevented patients from arriving for care at the field hospital.






 Copyright: IDF Spokesperson