In a first sign of advancement since the cease-fire agreement with Hamas, Israel partially reopened yesterday the Erez and the Kerem Shalom crossing points into the Gaza Strip. Up until Monday, the two crossing points were completely closed, but yesterday Israel enabled UN agencies to bring in to the Strip humanitarian medical aid. It also enabled aid workers and foreign reporters to enter.

In another positive development, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived this morning at the Ben Gurion airport. His first step in a regional tour that includes Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt. According to an unnamed senior at the State Department, the goals of the three-day trip are to ensure that the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas holds while also pushing steps that will improve the quality of life for both sides (Israeli and Palestinians) in the absence of immediate peace talks.

The regional meetings of Blinken are expected to cement what has already proven to be efficient contacts between Jerusalem and Cairo. This was evident last Friday, as Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, spoke on the phone hours after the Cairo-mediated cease-fire between Israel and Hamas went into effect. The conversation focused on mutual efforts to stabilize the deal.

A statement by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the ministers agreed on the importance of coordination between the countries and together with the Palestinian Authority and other international partners, in order to secure communication channels to achieve peace. Other reports said Ashkenazi told Shoukry Israel was keen to maintain calm. Reports said the two men also discussed measures to facilitate the future rebuilding of Gaza.