GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israel has granted Gaza some economic and humanitarian relief, a month after the most violent war it has waged during the eight-year siege. While this relief could be seen as signs of lifting the blockade on Gaza, it is only part of a UN-brokered agreement between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel to start the reconstruction of Gaza and revive its economy, under security monitoring.

As part of the first stage of the UN-brokered deal between the PA and Israel to rebuild Gaza, the head of civil affairs in Ramallah, Hussein al-Sheikh, said on Sept. 19 that Israel has been providing economic and humanitarian facilities in stages.

According to Sheikh, they include alleviating restrictions on the entry of construction materials to Gaza; allowing the export of some of Gaza’s products; allowing students to attend universities in the West Bank; the reunion of families and increasing the freedom of businessmen to move between Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel also declared that it would allow 5,000 Palestinian workers from Gaza to work in nearby Israeli areas, after approving the names put forth by the Palestinian side, which would be compiled by the government of national unity.