JERUSALEM, (Reuters) – Israel said yesterday it was easing a land blockade of the Gaza Strip that drew heightened international criticism after its deadly raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.
A new Israeli-approved product list includes all food items, toys, stationery, kitchen utensils, mattresses and towels, said Raed Fattouh, the Palestinian coordinator of supplies to Gaza.
But Israel maintained its sea blockade, a ban on exports from the coastal strip and a prohibition against the commercial import of building materials that are vital to wide-scale reconstruction after the December 2008-January 2009 Gaza war.
Hamas, an Islamist group locked in conflict with Israel, dismissed the new measures as trivial and “media propaganda.”
“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,” said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri.
Some 1.5 million people live in Gaza, of whom about 1 million depend to some extent on regular supplies of U.N. and other foreign aid brought in overland after Israeli inspection.
Richard Miron, spokesman for United Nations Middle East envoy Robert Serry, said they were encouraged by Israel’s move, adding, “we hope that today’s decision by the security cabinet is a real step forward toward meeting the needs in Gaza.”
The United States, Israel’s main backer, said the decision was a positive step but welcomed further loosening.
“We want to see an expansion of the scope and types of goods allowed into Gaza to address the Palestinians’ legitimate needs for sustained humanitarian assistance and regular access for reconstruction materials, while addressing obviously Israeli’s legitimate security needs,” said State Department spokesman Mark Toner.
He added that U.S. special envoy George Mitchell would continue to work on ideas with Israeli leaders in coming days.
The White House also welcomed the move. “We will continue to work in the coming days with our Israeli friends to continue to improve a humanitarian situation in Gaza that the president has said is unsustainable,” spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
An Israeli statement, issued after a security cabinet meeting, said “it was agreed to liberalize the system by which civilian goods enter Gaza (and) expand the inflow of materials for civilian projects that are under international supervision.”
