Protesters block Kerem Shalom crossing despite US demands

Regardless of the weather, Tzav 9 activists and the families of hostages arrived at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Friday morning and blocked the truck convoys on their way to the Gaza Strip for supplies and aid to Hamas, despite the US demand that the aid to Gaza pass "without interruption."

Tzav 9 stated that "the people of Israel have woken up and are with us wholeheartedly and with all their strength. In the last day, we have been receiving thousands of support messages from all over the country and the world.

"We repeat and emphasize that we are not a political body and do not belong to one camp or another. Our partners are dear people from the right and the left, the residents of the city, the kibbutz and the village, reservists who were released, evacuated citizens, and above all, the families of those who fell in the battles, and in contrast, the families of the hostages who will soon return."

Austin's express demand of Israel

In a conversation held on Thursday between US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Austin emphasized the importance of "the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza, without interruption."

During their dialogue, Austin reiterated the United States' support for Israel's right to defend itself and his country's commitment to reach a diplomatic solution that would see an end to the tensions on the northern border, alongside the common goal of avoiding a regional escalation.