Israel opens Gaza crossings after tension subsides

Israel opened two crossings into the Gaza Strip on Sunday following a decrease in the amount of violence along the border, authorities said.

The Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings were closed by Israel on Wednesday after the Israeli Defence Forces claimed that two rockets were launched from Gaza towards the Israeli territory with one of them damaging a residential house, Sputnik news agency reported.

While the Erez Crossing allows people to cross the Israel-Gaza Strip border, the Kerem Shalom serves as the only crossing for the delivery of goods into Palestine.

The Israeli Defence Ministry said that a decision is yet to be made on allowing the supply of fuel to the Gaza Strip, which had been halted in October due to unrest on the border.

The relation between Israel and Palestine near the Gaza border has been increasingly tense for months. Palestinian protesters continue regular clashes with Israeli troops on the border, while Israel accuses Gaza of shelling into their territories.

The past weekend saw a significant decrease in the amount of violence along the Gaza border compared to previous weeks. Most of the rioters remained at a distance and did not try to reach the fence, the Israeli Defence Ministry said.

--IANS

mag/sed