EL-ARISH, Egypt - Thousands of tons of building materials such as cement and steel began crossing into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said, temporarily easing a five-year-old blockade on the coastal territory.
An Egyptian security official said the shipment was made in consultation with Israeli officials, who were in Cairo on Thursday to discuss security in the Sinai Peninsula and the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire agreed upon by Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel last month. The Egyptian official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
