Israel agrees to open Kerem Shalom border crossing

A worker walks in the Kerem Shalom crossing, just outside the southern Gaza Strip, August 26, 2008. Israel shut its border crossings with the Gaza Strip amid its war with Hamas. REUTERS/Amir Cohen (ISRAEL)

Israel has agreed to open the Kerem Shalom border crossing for the screening and inspection of humanitarian aid delivered into the Gaza Strip a U.S. officials aid Thursday. 

The move was made at the request of the U.S., Reuters reported. 

“So we continue to think that Kerem Shalom would be a good facility to use for increased inspections of trucks,” State Department spokesman Matt Miller said. “I've said in the past that Israel has had security concerns about that we've been trying to work through those security concerns with Israel.”

Washington has been in talks with the Israeli government for several weeks about the opening of the border crossing in an effort to speed up inspections to aid trucks. 

Officials have not disclosed a time frame for when the crossing would be opened. 

Critics have said the closure cuts off essential food, medicine and other much-needed humanitarian aid from getting into Gaza.