Israel agreed to allow some fuel, medicine and food into the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Tuesday, at least temporarily easing a blockade that has plunged much of the territory into darkness and sparked international protests.

Monday's decision by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak means the European Union will be allowed to deliver a week's supply of industrial fuel to Gaza's main power plant, which shut down on Sunday. The EU, which funds fuel shipments to the plant, confirmed the delivery would take place on Tuesday.

Israel closed its border crossings with Gaza on Friday. Large parts of Gaza, home to 1.5 million people, have since lost power as hospitals cancelled non-essential surgery and local residents stockpiled food.

The EU and international agencies called the Israeli measures "collective punishment," which is banned under the Geneva Conventions.

It is unclear whether Barak will allow additional fuel shipments and medical supplies into Gaza.

Israeli government officials said future shipments would hinge on regular assessments of Gaza's humanitarian needs and on the number of rockets fired by Palestinian militants into the Jewish state.

"We are not committing on how often we will do this," Defence Ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror said.

Barak said Israel would not ease pressure on militants. "We will do everything to make them understand we will do anything to restore quiet," he said.

In addition to 2.2 million liters of industrial fuel for the power plant, Israel will allow into Gaza 500,000 liters of diesel for generators and a supply of cooking gas, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said.

Israel will also allow 50 trucks of food and medicine into the aid-dependent territory, but restrictions on petrol for cars will remain in place.

Drugs, generator fuel

"As far as I'm concerned, all the residents of Gaza can walk and have no fuel for their cars, because they have a murderous terrorist regime that doesn't allow people in the south of Israel to live in peace," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said before Barak's decision was announced.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said it welcomed any signs that Israel was easing its cordon.

"But this drip, drip, drip, here-today-gone-tomorrow... approach to humanitarian assistance makes it very difficult for UNRWA to sustain in the long term a humanitarian program to nearly a million people," spokesman Christopher Gunness said.

Barak's decision followed warnings by international agencies that Gaza hospitals would run out of drugs and generator fuel in a few days unless Israel allowed goods through the crossings.

The Gaza power plant normally provides only 30 percent of the territory's electricity, but its closure affected a far greater proportion of the population because of the way the power grid system works.

PHOTO CAPTION 

Palestinian children hold candles during a rally in Jerusalem's Old City to show solidarity with Gaza January 21, 2008.

Reuters