Israel has decided to ease the Gaza blockade. According to a statement of Israeli Prime Minister's Media Adviser, the Security Cabinet has decided to liberalise the system by which goods enter Gaza and expand the inflow of material for civilian projects under International supervision. <br/><br/>The cabinet has however decided to continue existing security procedures to prevent the inflow of weapons and war materiel into Gaza. The statement adds that cabinet will decide in the coming days on additional steps to implement this policy.<br/><br/>Palestinian group Hamas which controls Gaza has swiftly rejected the plan. It's leader Ismail Radwan dismissed the announcement terming it as an attempt to relieve the pressure following the flotilla incident.<br/><br/>AIR’s West Asia correspondent reports that Israel imposed the blockade on Gaza citing security reasons after Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, ousted the Fatah movement in the Strip in 2007.