Food, toys, and kitchen utensils added to the list; building materials still blocked
Israel is allowing more goods to reach the Gaza Strip through land, but the sea blockade will remain in place, says Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. There has been international pressure for Israel to allow more humanitarian goods into the Palestinian territory after nine people died trying to break the sea blockade on May 31. Hamas is demanding a complete lifting of the blockade. “Gaza especially needs construction material, which must be allowed to come in without restrictions,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters UK. Israel says that it will continue to block construction materials from entering Gaza in order to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities.