Israel opens Gaza crossing point

Both sides have been trading blame for breaching a ceasefire pact

Israel has reopened a key commercial crossing point to the Gaza Strip - one of two it closed last week - because of a lull in cross-border attacks.

The Sufa and Karni crossings were closed on Wednesday after Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel.

About 70 truckloads of goods would be allowed to enter Gaza on Sunday via the Sufa crossing, Israel's military said.

Hamas, which controls Gaza, had accused Israel of violating the truce agreement by closing the crossings.

The 19 June truce agreement - brokered by Egypt - was aimed at halting rocket attacks in return for Israel's lifting of its Gaza blockade.

'Humanitarian aid'

Reports said the Israeli authorities had originally decided to reopen both the Sufa and Karni crossing points.

But Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner was quoted by AFP as saying on Sunday morning that only Sufa would be reopened for the time being.

The Nahal Oz terminal for fuel shipments was reopened on Friday, while the Erez passenger crossing - used by diplomats, journalists and Gazans requiring medical care in Israel or abroad - remained open.