Israel eases Gaza economic blockade

GAZA, June 22 (UPI) -- Israel's military said Sunday it has begun allowing a greater flow of goods into Gaza as the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas entered a fourth day.

A spokeswoman for the Israeli Defense Forces told Xinhua, the state-run Chinese news service, that the army has begun allowing 90 trucks per day through checkpoints and into Gaza, up from the 60 to 70 daily trucks that were formerly going through.

The trucks are entering Gaza through the Sufa border crossing, and after waiting 72 hours after the truce took effect, Israeli officials Thursday began letting vehicles through with food and fuels, a Palestinian source told the news service.

An Israeli government said the gradual easing of the economic blockade is part of the truce with Hamas, the militant Palestinian faction that has controlled Gaza for the past year.