Israel to Ease Gaza Land Blockade: Reports
Bowing to mounting international criticism following a bloody raid on an aid flotilla headed for the Gaza strip, Israel Thursday agreed to ease its land embargo on the Gaza Strip, say media reports.
“It was agreed to liberalise the system by which civilian goods enter Gaza [and] expand the inflow of materials for civilian projects that are under international supervision,” the government was quoted as saying.
The Israeli Cabinet Thursday added all food items, toys, stationery, kitchen utensils, mattresses and towels to the list of approved products that can enter the coastal territory.
The decision, however, does not relax Israel’s naval blockade and the ban on private import of building materials, required for the reconstruction of the war-ravaged territory.
Israel only allows limited quantities of construction material to enter the Hamas ruled territory for U.N. projects.
“Existing security procedures to prevent the inflow of weapons and war material” would continue, the government said in a statement.
A statement issued by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that Israel would “liberalise the system by which civilian goods enter Gaza” and “expand the inflow of materials for civilian projects that are under international supervision“.
But the government noted that Israel would “continue existing security procedures to prevent the inflow of weapons and war materiel” to the 1.5 million populated Gaza Strip.
According to the reports, the procedural issues on the easing of the three year old embargo were not immediately announced and could take a few more days to become clear.
“What is needed is a complete lifting of the blockade. Goods and people must be free to enter and leave. Gaza especially needs construction material, which must be allowed to come in without restrictions,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri was quoted as saying in a reaction to the development.
Israel has faced stringent international criticism since the death of nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship on May 31.
(Based on Media Reports)
