Israel reopens Gaza crossing after two weeks of closure

STORY: Israel reopens Gaza crossing after two weeks of closure DATELINE: Sept. 29, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:52 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Palestinian workers heading to Erez crossing STORYLINE: Israel reopened its main crossing point with the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning after closing it for two weeks amid border protests. The Erez Crossing, the sole pedestrian crossing between Gaza and Israel, has been reopened for Palestinian workers to enter Israel, the Office of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli Defense Ministry unit that coordinates with the Palestinians, announced in a press release. The crossing will remain open "depending on the assessment of the situation and the security stability," said the statement. Israel closed the crossing for the Jewish New Year holiday on Sept. 15, citing security concerns. Approximately 18,000 Gazans hold permits from Israeli authorities to work in Israel, bringing much-needed funds into th

Palestinians fly to Cyprus from Israel's Ramon Airport for 1st time

STORY: Palestinians fly to Cyprus from Israel's Ramon Airport for 1st time DATELINE: Aug. 23, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:22 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Ramon airport 2. various of separation wall 3. various of the checkpoint between Israel and West Bank 4. various of Ben Gurion airport STORYLINE: Dozens of Palestinians departed for Cyprus from southern Israel's Ramon Airport on Monday after Israel launched a pilot program to enable Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to fly overseas. "Palestinians were aboard an international flight from Ramon Airport to Larnaca for the first time," the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians, confirmed in a statement. "Staff work is still underway" to allow more flights by Palestinians via Ramon Airport, COGAT said. The Hebrew-language Ynet news site reported that buses organized by Israeli authorities brought about 40 Palestinian passengers from the West

Israel to reopen sole crossing to Gazan workers

STORY: Israel to reopen sole crossing to Gazan workers DATELINE: April 26, 2022 LENGTH: 0:02:30 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. Palestinians with special approval enter Israel through the Erez crossing on the Gaza-Israel border at the northern end of the Gaza Strip 2. Erez crossing STORYLINE: Israel will reopen its only crossing to the Gaza Strip for workers on Tuesday, two days after closing it, Israeli officials announced on Monday. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians, said in a statement that humanitarian aid to the Hamas-run Palestinian enclave "is conditioned by the continuation of security stability in the area." Israel closed the crossing on Sunday, saying the move was "a response" to rocket attacks from Gaza on Friday and Saturday, which came amid clashes at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and a month of fatal violence. Prior to the closure of the crossing, the daily number of Pale