“We will continue to work closely with our American partners to improve the civilian and humanitarian situation in Gaza,” an IDF officer stated.
By: United with Israel Staff
On Tuesday, key IDF officials and Israeli liaisons to Gaza hosted Karen Sasahara, the American Consul General in Jerusalem, during a visit to the Kerem Shalom and Erez Crossings into Gaza.
The visits provided a platform to discuss ways to aid the Palestinians of Gaza, via the Americans and the IDF’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit and the Israel Crossing Points Authority.
During the visit, the American delegation was briefed on activities at each crossing and efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The delegates were also briefed on the security challenges facing Israel in the area.
For instance, an ambulance crossing used to transfer Gazans out of the Strip in emergency humanitarian cases was hit late last month by a rocket fired by Gaza terrorists. The crossings have also been a target of Hamas terrorism.
“To what low have the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip reached?” wrote COGAT commander, Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rukun, on his Arabic Facebook page after the crossing was hit by a rocket.
The overall objective of the joint tour was the exploration of ways to improve the civilian and humanitarian situation in Gaza, COGAT said.
COGAT is the IDF unit responsible for implementing government policy in Judea and Samaria and vis-à-vis the Gaza Strip.
IDF Colonel Sharon Biton, head of COGAT’s Civil Affairs Department, said that Sasahara’s visit “demonstrates the closeness of the cooperation between COGAT and the United States Consulate General to improve the lives of Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip.”
“We will continue to work closely with our American partners to improve the civilian and humanitarian situation in Gaza,” he added.
Aiming to maintain regional stability and promote economic development, Israel has previously formulated and implemented plans for the benefit of Palestinians in Judea and Samaria and Gaza.