Israel reopens Gaza's Kerem Shalom, Erez crossings

JERUSALEM - Agence France-Presse

A truck carrying supplies cross into Rafah town through the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on March 5, 2013. AFP Photo

Israel on Thursday lifted a series of restrictions on Gaza which were imposed after militants fired two rockets across the border, the army said.
 
Kerem Shalom, Gaza's only goods crossing, which has been closed since Thursday, was reopened, and the tight restrictions on travel into and out of the territory via Erez, which had been limited to medical emergencies only, were lifted, a military spokeswoman said.
 
"The crossings were reopened this morning after being closed for a week," she said.
 
It was not immediately clear whether the restrictions on local fisherman, which cut their fishing zone from six nautical miles to three, had also been lifted.
 
The limitations were imposed after militants fired two rockets at southern Israel on March 21, one of which caused damage to the yard of a house in Sderot, during a three-day visit by US President Barack Obama.
 
The measures were slammed by two Israeli rights groups who said it was little more than "collective punishment."