Tel Aviv  -

Tel Aviv - Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak ordered the reopening Wednesday of the crossing points into the Gaza Strip, after they had been shut for one day in response to the launching of a rocket from the salient into southern Israel.

For the first time in a year, construction materials will be allowed into the Strip, Israeli media reported.

The rocket launched late Monday caused neither injuries nor damage, and was the fifth rocket launched since a truce between Israel and the Gazan militant organizations went into effect at 0300 GMT on June 19.

Tel Aviv - Israel is to formally sign the German-brokered agreement with Hezbollah on a prisoner exchange only after it receives a report on missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad, Israeli media repor

Gaza/Tel Aviv  - Israel kept key goods crossings into the Gaza Strip closed for a third day running Friday, in response to violations of a one-week-old, fragile truce.

Tel Aviv  - Israel's Defence Ministry said Thursday it was keeping the crossing points into the Gaza Strip shut again for the day, in response to three rockets fired from the salient on Tuesday which violated a fragile truce with Palestinian militants.

Major Peter Lerner said an "ongoing assessment" was taking place as to whether the crossings would reopen on Friday.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak decided to close the crossings on Wednesday after the rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Hamas, the main Palestinian militant group, said the Israeli move was in itself a violation of the ceasefire.

The truce went into effect at 0300 GMT on June 19, and is supposed to end months of violence between the sides.