The Minister of Defense of Israel, Israel Katz, has ordered the closure of the border crossings to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on the occasion of the anniversary of the attack on October 7, 2023. The closure will be in effect from October 5 to October 7.
The decision to impose this general closure responds to a recommendation from the Armed Forces and, as noted by the newspaper "The Times of Israel," it will not apply to Israeli citizens wishing to cross the checkpoints located in the West Bank.
Likewise, "essential healthcare workers" from Palestine and other individuals who need to move for "state commitments with the Israeli Supreme Court" will continue to be able to cross the checkpoints. Other requests for passage will be processed by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an agency dependent on the Israeli Armed Forces.
During these three days, the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip will not be allowed, although assistance arriving at the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing will continue to be managed "as usual." "The closure of the crossings on these dates will not affect the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," COGAT has stated.