With one hand Israel has opened up Gaza's tomato export market but with the other it has closed one of only two commercial crossings into and out of the strip. The Karni crossing is being permanently closed and all goods will now have to pass through Kerem Shalom. The Karni closure will lead to even more delays and bottlenecks in transfering humanitarian aid to the strip, thereby tightening the siege.
"Kerem Shalom is a bottleneck through which we are forced to bring assistance to over one million people," UNRWA spokesman in Jerusalem Chris Gunness told Ma'an. "The 2005 crossings agreement must be implemented," he continued, "and a consistent and predictable schedule for the import and export of goods from Karni established."
Without adequate crossings protocol, Gunness said it would be impossible to supply the necessary goods for a full Gaza recovery. "We must end the collective punishment of the people of Gaza," he said. more
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