By DPA
Tel Aviv : After a four-day lock-down of the Gaza Strip, Israel reopened two of its border crossings with the coastal salient to humanitarian aid and diesel fuel, Israeli media reported.
Trucks with basic necessities were allowed through the southern Kerem Shalom crossing point, while some diesel fuel was allowed through the nearby Nahal Oz crossing.
The diesel is meant for Gaza’s only local power station, which runs on the fuel and shut down Sunday evening as a result of the total closure, plunging 800,000 Palestinians in Gaza City and its suburbs who are supplied by it into darkness.
Gaza City’s main Shiffa hospital was also left to run on an emergency generator because of the power cut.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak authorized the reopening of the crossings for humanitarian aid and diesel late Monday, but warned Israel would continue to apply “pressure” on the Gaza Strip to end daily rocket attacks from there at southern Israel.
The Israeli military said there had been a significant decline in the number of rockets in recent days, compared to serious escalation last week.
Palestinian militants nevertheless launched four more rockets at Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza Strip Tuesday morning.