Israel seized control of the corridor along Gaza’s southern boundary with Egypt, the military said on Wednesday, as the humanitarian situation in the territory worsened with the ongoing closure of Rafah crossing.

Israel now has “effective authority over the Palestinian territory’s entire land border,” Reuters reported.

Israel had taken control of the now shuttered Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt on 6 May, preventing medical evacuations from the territory and throttling the transfer of humanitarian aid.

Reuters reported on Thursday the Israeli military had “lifted a ban on the sale of food to Gaza from Israel and the occupied West Bank,” citing Palestinian officials, businessmen and international aid workers.

“Aid workers have urged Israel for months to allow more commercial deliveries to enter Gaza so fresh food can supplement international aid, which mostly contains non-perishables like flour and tinned food,” Reuters stated.

But the entry of deliveries via Kerem Shalom, Gaza’s commercial crossing, has been erratic and only 20 to 150 trucks per day are being allowed in by Israel, according to Palestinian officials – far short of the 600 trucks per day that the US State Department says is needed to avert famine.

Reuters said that food brought into Gaza by merchants is being unevenly distributed and sold at prices that are out of reach for most people in the territory, who have been repeatedly displaced and are cash-strapped after nearly eight months of war that has brought the economy to a standstill.

Source: Aid throttled as Israel takes control over Gaza’s southern border | The Electronic Intifada