Israel eases up Gaza restrictions

JERUSALEM, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Israel's security cabinet decided to ease some Gaza restrictions to permit more exports from the region, the Israeli Cabinet secretary said.

The Cabinet considered a number of steps to improve the economic situation and increase exports from Gaza, Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser said in a statement Wednesday.

The focus is to "make things easier for the population in Gaza, which is under a terrorist and oppressive Hamas regime, the statement said.

The Cabinet called on the international community to take steps to prevent the arming of Hamas and other terror groups with missiles aimed at Israel's civilian population, The Jerusalem Post said.

"A continuation of this armament is against international law, harms the interest of the population that lives in Gaza and will harm Israel's ability to continue with steps to improve the economic situation in the Gaza Strip," the statement read.

The Cabinet called on the international community to continue to boycott of Hamas and abide by Quartet principles calling for isolating Hamas until it agrees to halt terror, recognize Israel and accept previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements, the paper said.