Jerusalem   -  Israel’s army announced the opening Tuesday of an additional aid crossing into Gaza, on the eve of a US-imposed deadline to improve humanitarian conditions for Palestinians in the war-ravaged territory. “As part of the effort and commitment to increase the volume and routes of aid to the Gaza Strip, the ‘Kissufim’ Crossing was opened today,” the army said in a joint statement with COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry agency responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories. “The operation... includes the delivery of food, water, medical supplies, and shelter equipment to central and southern Gaza,” they said, adding it involved the military, COGAT and defence ministry. “The IDF (Israeli army), through COGAT, will continue to operate in accordance with international law to facilitate and ease the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”

 Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Israel it had until November 13 to improve aid delivery to Gaza or risk the withholding of some military assistance from the United States, Israel’s biggest supporter.