Israel has announced it's closing the border crossings with the Gaza Strip, including Rafah, as part of the operation launched jointly with the United States against Iran.
Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli military body that controls the Palestinian territories, indicated in a statement that it is a necessary "security adjustments" that won't impact the humanitarian situation.
The statement noted that the Israel Defense Forces and the US Army launched a wide-ranging joint operation to attack the Iranian "terrorist regime" and eliminate long-term existential threats to the State of Israel.
"Accordingly, several necessary security adjustments have been implemented, including the closure of the crossings into the Gaza Strip, among them the Rafah Crossing, until further notice. The rotation of humanitarian personnel is postponed at this stage," it said on X.
COGAT added that the amount of food delivered to the Strip since the ceasefire with Hamas is equivalent "to four times the nutritional needs of the population, according to the United Nations methodology".
Therefore, according to COGAT, current stocks are expected to be sufficient for an extended period.
COGAT stated that they will maintain contact with the international community and provide updates on any developments.
On February 2, Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing, key for the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, after closing it nearly a year ago following its takeover by the IDF in May 2024.
However, on Saturday, Israel closed the crossing again after carrying out a large-scale joint attack with the US against targets in Tehran and other Iranian cities, such as Tabriz in the northwest and Isfahan in the centre.Â
The attack has caused dozens of deaths in Iran, including 85 at a girls' primary school.
