Israel restored Gaza’s fishing zone to 15 nautical miles and reopened the main trade crossing point at Kerem Shalom despite continuing violent border riots.

“Following a security assessment approved by the political level, it was decided to extend the fishing zone in the Gaza Strip to 15 nautical miles, as well as to fully open the Kerem Shalom crossing for the passage of ‘equipment and goods. The Office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said Wednesday morning.

Israel generally links the passage of goods at the Kerem Shalom crossing and the Gaza fishing zone to the absence of violent attacks by Palestinians against Israel, including border riots in which an Israeli soldier was killed last month .

He had closed both Kerem Shalom and the fishing grounds during the 11-day war in May, known as Operation Guardian of the Walls, and had not restored them until now.

Jerusalem also attempted to link the entry of reconstruction material to the release of the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2014 war and the return of two civilians still detained there.

A view shows fishing boats in the port of Gaza City on a stormy day, January 18, 2016. (Credit: REUTERS)

Israel appeared to have withdrawn from the request on Wednesday.

In addition, the Jewish state has agreed to increase the amount of water it supplies to the Gaza Strip by an additional five million cubic meters.

He also increased the number of permits issued to Gaza traders at the Erez crosswalk from 2,000 to 7,000.

“The civilian measures approved by the political level are conditional on the continued preservation of the region’s long-term security stability, while the extension of these measures will be considered in accordance with an assessment of the security situation,” said the Minister. COGAT.

Gaza has only three land crossings: two Israel-controlled at Kerem Shalom and Erez and one Egyptian-controlled at Rafah.

The gestures Israel announced to the coastal enclave are the fourth it has made this month, including approving a mechanism to renew Qatari assistance to needy families.

Jerusalem has come under pressure from the United States to take humanitarian action to help Gaza. The latest announcement comes a week after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett first met US President Joe Biden.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid told foreign reporters in Jerusalem that Israel’s goal with Gaza is to maintain calm.

“The only political interest we have in Gaza, other than bringing back the two living Israeli citizens held there captive and the bodies of the two Israeli soldiers, is to keep the peace,” Lapid said.

“We are not interested in returning to Gaza. We are not interested in returning to Gaza. We just wanna make sure

“If Hamas guarantees peace and quiet, it can also guarantee a functioning economy and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” he said.

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