By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel reopened its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, after a one-day closure imposed in what it called a response to a rocket attack from the Hamas-ruled enclave.
Four crossings between the Jewish state and the Palestinian territory reopened in the morning, allowing a string of supplies into the largely blockaded area.
“We opened the crossing after there were no rocket firings on Tuesday and we hope it will remain this way,” said Israeli official Peter Lerner, adding that Israel will green light cement into the area later Wednesday for the first time in a year.
Israel closed its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday following a rocket attack from the area Monday evening. But Hamas denied the attack, and no group claimed responsibility for the fourth such attack since the Egypt-brokered truce went into effect on June 19.
A previous breach last week prompted Israel to close the Gaza border crossings for the first time since the implementation of the ceasefire, before the Jewish state reopened them Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday warned that his country would respond with full force if Palestinian militants violates the Gaza Strip ceasefire beyond Israel’s due patience.
Also on Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged self-restraint from both sides to preserve the shaky truce, after meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak briefly in Greece.
Meanwhile, Egypt opened the Rafah crossing between Sinai and the Gaza Strip on Tuesday for three days, allowing limited passage of people, such as Palestinians stranded in Egypt and Gazans seeking medical treatment abroad.