Israel has opened its only cargo crossing with the Gaza Strip weeks after closing it amid a surge in violence with the Islamic militant group Hamas.
The reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing came as Egypt was stepping up efforts to broker a lasting cease-fire. It was not clear if the move was part of a broader deal in the works.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the reopening of the crossing was "a clear message to residents of the Strip: Quiet pays and violence doesn't pay."
Lieberman said his country "will do everything to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel, and if Hamas turns to violence again, we will respond immediately and in a much more severe manner than before."
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