<br/>United Nations officials today welcomed the additional measures announced by Israel in increasing the scope and quantity of materials allowed into Gaza, voicing their hope that the move will help address the needs of the 15 Lakh Palestinians living in the territory. <br/><br/>In a statement, received by AIR today, the Office of UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry said that this can only be the beginning of the long road towards reconstruction and a functioning economy in the Gaza Strip. <br/><br/>Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, also noted the agreement to facilitate the immediate start of the construction of 12 UN education and health facilities. Mr. Ban, the Special Coordinator and other senior UN officials have repeatedly called for ending the blockade against Gaza, which Israel imposed on the territory for what it called security reasons after Hamas ousted the Fatah movement in the Strip in 2007.<br/>