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Israel eases restrictions on Gaza Israel eases restrictions on Gaza
(about 1 hour later)
Israel has temporarily relaxed its blockade of Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were left without power and essential supplies.Israel has temporarily relaxed its blockade of Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were left without power and essential supplies.
A spokesman said the blockade, which has provoked widespread international criticism, was being lifted for a day.A spokesman said the blockade, which has provoked widespread international criticism, was being lifted for a day.
At the Rafah border crossing from Gaza into Egypt, gunfire broke out as Egyptian security forces blocked Palestinians trying to leave Gaza.At the Rafah border crossing from Gaza into Egypt, gunfire broke out as Egyptian security forces blocked Palestinians trying to leave Gaza.
Israel shut crossings into Gaza in response to rocket attacks from there. Israel had shut crossings into Gaza in response to rocket attacks from there.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said temporarily lifting the Gaza blockade was "insufficient". Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas stressed that civilians in Gaza, which is run by militant group Hamas, were not firing the rockets into Israel.
Fuel and medicine The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm">Gaza's rocket threat to Israel class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7201524.stm">What now for Hamas? class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7201569.stm">Anger in regional press
"We will continue our efforts to get a total lifting of the blockade," he told reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Mr Abbas condemned such attacks as "futile launchings" that had to be stopped.
Supplying Gaza with more fuel does not mean solving the crisis in Gaza. The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege Sami Abu ZuhriHamas class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm">Gaza's rocket threat to Israel class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7201524.stm">What now for Hamas? class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7201569.stm">Anger in regional press He told reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah: "We will continue our efforts to get a total lifting of the blockade."
Mr Abbas stressed that civilians in Gaza were not firing the rockets into Israel, which he condemned as "futile launchings" that had to be stopped. Shooting broke out as Palestinians trying to cross the Rafah border post - Gaza's only crossing that bypasses Israel - were confronted by Egyptian security forces.
Earlier, the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, said she had urged the Israeli government to avert a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of protesters from the Gaza side stormed Rafah demanding the reopening of the border crossing, which has been closed for most of the time since June.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she had urged the Israeli government to avert a humanitarian crisis.
The UN Security Council will later discuss the situation in Gaza in an emergency session.The UN Security Council will later discuss the situation in Gaza in an emergency session.
Israel began easing its blockade of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday by allowing lorries carrying 700,000 litres of industrial diesel for the coastal territory's sole power plant to entered the Nahal Oz fuel terminal. 'Fabrication'
A further 1.5m litres of fuel will be delivered over the next three days along with 500,000 litres of diesel for generators, a supply of domestic cooking gas and 50 lorries of food and medicine, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said. Israel shut its border crossing with Gaza last Thursday and lifted the blockade for one day on Tuesday, saying it would be reviewed after that.
It allowed lorries carrying industrial diesel for the coastal territory's sole power plant to entered the Nahal Oz fuel terminal.
More fuel will be delivered over the next three days along with diesel for generators, domestic cooking gas and food and medicine, the Israeli foreign ministry said.
Hamas leaves a militaristic, yet diplomatic nation no choice G Uzelac, New York CityBBC News website reader Your commentsProfile: Gaza Strip
The blockade had forced the Nusseirat power plant, which depends on fuel deliveries from Israel, to shut down on Monday, plunging Gaza City into darkness.The blockade had forced the Nusseirat power plant, which depends on fuel deliveries from Israel, to shut down on Monday, plunging Gaza City into darkness.
Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, pointing out that the power plant in Gaza produces only a minority of the territory's power.Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, pointing out that the power plant in Gaza produces only a minority of the territory's power.
It said it was still providing nearly 70% of the territory's power directly. Israel said it was still providing nearly 70% of the territory's power directly.
The decision by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to ease the restrictions temporarily followed a warning from the UN that food aid to about 860,000 Gaza people could be halted within days because of the blockade. The decision by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to ease temporarily the restrictions followed a warning from the UN that food aid to about 860,000 Gaza people could be halted within days because of the blockade.
Israel says border closures will stop if the rocket attacks end
Earlier, a warning from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that life would not be "pleasant or comfortable" for Gazans as long as rocket attacks continued prompted UN officials to join the EU in accusing Israel of "collective punishment".Earlier, a warning from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that life would not be "pleasant or comfortable" for Gazans as long as rocket attacks continued prompted UN officials to join the EU in accusing Israel of "collective punishment".
Crisis 'delayed' The Israeli government said its lockdown had stopped missile attacks - but another rocket struck the Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, UN officials expressed relief that fuel deliveries had restarted, allowing them to provide the food aid on which some 80% of the Gazan population rely. UN officials expressed relief that fuel deliveries had restarted, allowing them to provide the food aid on which some 80% of the Gazan population rely.
Other aid workers, however, said the decision to relax the blockade for just one day would only put off a crisis.
"The fuel we will get today is going to be only enough for three days so I'm not saying the situation is going to be better," Rana Elhindi from Save the Children told the BBC.
Hamas leaves a militaristic, yet diplomatic nation no choice G Uzelac, New York CityBBC News website reader Your commentsProfile: Gaza Strip
"If it's going to be like that then we're really facing a real disaster in the Gaza strip."
A spokesman for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the crisis would remain despite the easing of border restrictions.A spokesman for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the crisis would remain despite the easing of border restrictions.
"The Israeli announcement of supplying Gaza with more fuel does not mean solving the crisis in Gaza," he said. "The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege on the Gaza Strip." "The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege on the Gaza Strip," he said.
Mr Zuhri called on neighbouring countries to demonstrate in support of Gaza, and urged Egypt to re-open the Rafah border crossing. Israel imposed an economic embargo on Gaza after the Islamist militant group seized control from the rival Fatah group in June. Israel has also limited the movement of people in and out of the territory.
Israel says border closures will stop if the rocket attacks end
Israel imposed an economic embargo on Gaza after the Islamist militant group seized control from the rival Fatah group in June. It has also limited the movement of people in and out of the territory.
The Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, told reporters in London that life in Gaza had become unbearable, but said the Palestinian Authority had limited influence because it no longer controlled it.
Under review
Despite protests from the international community and aid agencies against the lockdown, the Israeli government said the policy had been effective in halting rocket fire.
"What we see is that the number of Qassam rockets was decreased dramatically," foreign ministry spokesman Mr Mekel told the BBC.
"Last week there were about 200 rockets altogether. And now there was two today, and four yesterday... So since we are monitoring it we decided that at this time we could ease this blockade," he said.
However another rocket struck the nearby Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday.