Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant officially resigned on Friday, replaced by Israel Katz, a former foreign minister and close ally of the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Gallant has ignited a wave of protests across Israel, with citizens rallying in opposition to what they see as the removal of a moderate voice from an increasingly right-wing government.

Many Israelis saw Gallant as an advocate for negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of hostages being held in Gaza, and his sudden exit has raised concerns that the Netanyahu administration may deprioritize this humanitarian issue.

Israel opens new aid crossing to Gaza

Gallant’s departure comes as Israel faces increasing pressure to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The Israeli military agency that oversees aid to Gaza, known as COGATannounced plans on Friday to open a new crossing point, located at Kissufim, to expedite the delivery of food, medical supplies and fuel to civilians in the conflict zone.

The move follows a US ultimatum that Israel must allow 350 aid trucks into Gaza daily to meet urgent needs or risk a reassessment of American weapons support. COGAT has already built inspection facilities and paved roads to support the new aid route, although officials have not specified when it will begin operations.

The UN and humanitarian groups continue to express concern and stress that aid must reach northern Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians remain cut off from vital resources.

Washington pressures Israel on aid targets

The expansion of aid routes is in line with a letter from US officials warning Israel that failure to meet a daily aid target could jeopardize future arms shipments to the country.

Currently, Israel allows an average of only 57 trucks per day into Gaza, a number that has recently risen to 81 but remains below the US-recommended minimum.

Although the new crossing aims to address these shortcomings, humanitarian organizations claim that it is still inadequate to meet the needs of civilians in Gazaas the conflict with Hamas continues to intensify.

Erdogan pushes Trump to address Middle East tensions

At the same time, the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that the President-elect of the United States Donald Trump will make progress towards resolving conflicts in the Middle East.

Speaking to Turkish media, Erdogan urged Trump to pressure Israel to end its Gaza offensive and suggested that US military support for Israel as a step towards peace. Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel’s policies in Gaza, has accused the country of committing atrocities and questioned Western support for its actions, calling for a stronger international response.

This article incorporates reporting from the Associated Press