A Palestinian official on Monday said Israel will open cargo crossings into the Gaza Strip to allow food and fuel supplies in.

Nasser al-Sarraj, an official with the ministry of economy in Gaza, said Israel told him that it will open Kerem Shalom crossing in southeast Gaza Strip for 50 trucks of supplies, 26 of them will go for international relief organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Another 40 trucks carrying wheat and animal fodder will pass through Karni crossing in eastern Gaza city, he said, adding that Israel will also allow some fuel into the strip for the only power plant there which stopped again on Sunday after it ran out of diesel.

Israel first imposed economic restrictions on the Gaza Strip in 2006 after Hamas militants captured an Israeli soldier in a cross- border raid. A year later, Israel upgraded the sanctions into tight blockade after Hamas seized security installations on the territory, defeating security forces of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In June this year, Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel to ease Gaza blockade in exchange for halting Palestinian rocket-fire from Gaza. But in early November, the agreement was rocked with a resumption of violence and Israel again tightened the blockade.

The ceasefire expires this week with Hamas ruling out any extension.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2008)