Israel on Friday decided to open the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing with Gaza to transfer aid supplies to the coastal enclave amid harsh weather conditions hitting the region.At the request of the UN to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj.-Gen.Eitan Dangot, Israel implemented the transfer of gas for heating and water pumps to the Strip facing heavy flood from severe winter storms.
"Israel will do everything that is necessary to assist the civilian populations in Gaza and in Judea and Samaria, with an emphasis on providing electricity to the power plant in Gaza," the army said on its website.
A joint Israeli-Palestinian situation room was also opened to help distressed civilians in the West Bank with transportation and electricity concerns.
An unusual blanket of snow surprised residents in the Gaza Strip who stopped to take pictures of snowy scenes. But the Palestinian territory was also hit by heavy rain that flooded roads and made them impassable.
Emergency workers used fishing boats to evacuate 700 people from their homes and provide food, blankets and torches to hundreds of others caught in high water.
Gaza's Hamas government said all its resources and manpower were available to aid rescue operations, including its armed wing usually charged with fighting Israel.
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called for fuel to be allowed to enter Gaza. "Gaza survived two wars (against Israel) and it will walk out of this," he said wearing a heavy coat and the yellow jumper of emergency workers as he toured the affected areas overnight.
Story taken from Jerusalem Post
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