Israel Allows 1st Car Imports to Gaza Since ’07

VOA Breaking News
September 20, 2010

Israel has permitted a transfer of cars into the Gaza Strip for the first time since Hamas militants seized control of the territory in 2007.

Twenty private vehicles rolled into Gaza Monday through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom border crossing. Israel agreed to resume car imports as part of a relaxation of its blockade on the territory in June.

Israel eased the blockade in response to international criticism of a deadly Israeli commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters.

The commandos opened fire during a clash in May with Turkish pro-Palestinian activists on one of the ships, killing nine.

Israel continues to restrict imports to Gaza of what it says are materials that could be used by Palestinian militants to make weapons and fortifications for attacks on Israelis.

Cars have been entering Gaza despite the blockade through tunnels built by smugglers along the Egypt-Gaza border.

Both Israel and Egypt imposed a closure on Gaza in 2007 in response to the Hamas takeover, but have opened their border crossings with the territory for humanitarian purposes. Some information in this story was provided by AFP and Reuters.