A top UN official said Thursday that "Israel's" blockade of major crossings into Gaza has shut off the main entrance route for supplies, notably gasoline, making humanitarian operations nearly impossible.

Andrea De Domenico, head of the United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA, in the occupied Palestinian territories expressed that the "main entry point for all humanitarian aid" had been lost. 

Days ago the occupation closed the Karam Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom crossing following the killing of 4 Israeli soldiers in the Karam Abu Salem military base which is around 1,5 km away from the crossing.

De Domenico told AFP that while "Israel" claims to have reopened Karam Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom on Wednesday, getting supplies in remains extremely difficult, adding that the Rafah gate, through which all petroleum into Gaza flows, remains blocked, implying that no fuel is entering.

"In Gaza there are no stocks" of fuel, he stated, emphasizing that this meant "no movement."

"It is completely crippling the humanitarian operations."

"Evacuation orders in Rafah have forced several WCK-supported community kitchens to pause cooking today," the World Central Kitchen (WCK) wrote in a new statement released on Wednesday.

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In their statement, the WCK said, "Our field kitchens and community kitchens outside evacuation zones provided more than 168,000 meals in communities around Rafah and Deir al-Balah."

Evacuation orders in Rafah have forced several WCK-supported community kitchens to pause cooking today. Still, our field kitchens and community kitchens outside evacuation zones provided more than 168,000 meals in communities around Rafah and Deir al-Balah.#ChefsForGaza pic.twitter.com/F420P15JMT

— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) May 7, 2024

Rafah border crossing to be managed by private contractor: Haaretz

In an exclusive for Israeli newspaper Haaretz, "Israel" has made a plea to the US regarding the takeover of the Rafah border crossing, saying it would be passed on to a private security contracting company.

This was offered up after "Israel" committed to "restrict its operation in Rafah", which started on Monday, "aiming only to deny Hamas authority over the border crossing that connects Gaza with Egypt, and concentrating on the eastern side of the city."

According to Haaretz, the Israeli occupation government, in order to secure the deal, has been negotiating with "a private company in the US that specializes in assisting armies and governments around the world engaged in military conflicts. The company has operated in several African and Middle Eastern countries, guarding strategic sites like oil fields, airports, army bases, and sensitive border crossings. It employs veterans of elite US Army units."

Allegedly, Tel Aviv also pledged "not to damage the crossing's facilities to ensure its continuous operation," alleging that the "private American security company will assume management of the crossing after the IDF [Israeli occupation forces] concludes its operation."

In turn, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, earlier claimed he had no information about such a plot to assume control over the Rafah border crossing.

In that regard, Haaretz also reported that Egyptian officials expressed opposition to an assault on Rafah because they were concerned that civilians might attempt to cross the border fence seeking shelter. Allegedly, they also warned that Hamas might try to breach the fence to assist Gazans in fleeing.