Israel’s army announced the opening of an additional aid crossing into Gaza, on the eve of a US-imposed deadline to improve humanitarian conditions for Palestinians in the besieged territory, AFP reports.

“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.”