Israel-Gaza border crossing opened partially

The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Monday partially opened the only passageway between the Gaza Strip and Israel following a shut down over the assassination of one of the group's senior commanders.

Hamas spokesperson Eyad Al-Bozom said that the crossing will be "opened for the travel of families of prisoners in Israeli jails, and three ministers of the national unity government", Xinhua news agency reported.

Al-Bozom added that there were no restrictions by Hamas on the entry to Gaza.

However, foreigners in Gaza are not allowed to leave Gaza, including employees of the UN or other international organisations.

Hamas has imposed "strict security measures" in the Gaza Strip since Sunday, including a full closure on the ways to the borders crossing with Israel from the Palestinian side, as part of it's investigations into the murder of Mazen Fuqaha.

Last week, unidentified gunmen in Gaza opened fire at Mazen Fuqaha, a Hamas leader who had been released from an Israeli jail under the prisoner exchange agreement between the Islamist movement and Israel in 2011

--IANS

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