[Jimbuna]

Israeli protesters again block aid trucks from entering through Kerem Shalom crossing

Hundreds of Israeli protesters on Sunday blocked aid trucks from driving into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, demanding that hostages held in Gaza are freed before any more aid is delivered into the Strip, CNN's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson reports from the scene.

The protests have been ongoing for days and were organized by families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. On Sunday, the protesters again blocked the convoys despite an expectation that Israeli police would clear the protests to allow the crossing to operate, Robertson reports. The aid trucks, however, remain parked a few hundred meters from the protesters.

On Wednesday, only nine trucks crossed into Gaza via Kerem Shalom due to the protests, while the crossing remained closed on Thursday and Friday due to protesters blocking access, according to Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). The border was closed on Saturday for Shabbat.

Last Sunday, 139 aid trucks were inspected and transferred via Kerem Shalom, according to COGAT.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Saturday warned of the repercussions of declining humanitarian access in parts of Gaza and the blocking of aid at the crossing.

"The inability to deliver food, water and medical aid will exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation of those in need of assistance," OCHA said in a statement.
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