Israel must lift Gaza siege ‘fully’

NOTHING short of the full lifting of Israel’s blockade on Gaza would allow the territory to be rebuilt, the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees said yesterday, a day after Israel said it would ease its siege.

Israel, which sealed off the coastal territory to prevent Hamas from arming, is under international pressure to lift the blockade after its forces killed nine people in an assault on an aid flotilla on May 31.

Under the blockade’s previous rules, any item that was not explicitly permitted was banned. Israel says it will now allow items to enter Gaza unless they are on a list of banned items, including weapons and materials that can be used to make them.