BICOM

Israel’s defence ministry confirmed that restrictions on materials entering the Gaza Strip will be eased as part of the ceasefire agreement which ended Operation Pillar of Defence, brokered by Egypt.

As of next week, Israel will allow the daily entry of twenty trucks of construction materials into the Gaza Strip for private sector projects. Until recently, only building materials earmarked for projects of international aid groups had been granted entry. Since 2007, due to Israeli security concerns that the material is used to assemble rockets that are fired at Israeli civilians, construction materials had been banned for private sector initiatives. Heavy construction vehicles such as bulldozers plus busses will also be granted access to the Gaza Strip under the new arrangement.

Further restrictions will also be lifted with a further sixty trucks per day of other goods also granted entry into the Gaza Strip. Israel is also set to help residents of the northern Gaza Strip gain access to improved electricity infrastructure. The easing of restrictions was approved by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot.

Guy Inbar, a spokesman for the Israel Defence Ministry’s civil administration said that the relaxing of measures comes in the wake of Egyptian mediation efforts and the ongoing calm in the south of the country. He said, “It’s part of the dialogue, the conversation that we have with the Egyptian side and because of the calm… If the calm will continue, then more eases will go through.”