Israel on Wednesday, 11 Kislev, opened its border to Gaza to provide shuttle service to Gazans requiring US consular services, transporting them to and from Jerusalem.

About 100 Gazans were able to take advantage of the arrangement on Wednesday, crossing into Israel and boarding a bus to Jerusalem. They were accompanied by officials from the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee, an office that coordinates cross-border movement with the Israelis.

The service was viewed as a pilot program, which did not pass without incident as one of the Gazans fled to a taxi and a second was not on the return bus.

IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) officials signal the program was the result of many months of planning between Israel, the PA and American officials, and there are plans to continue it in the future.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)