GAZA, March 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Director-general of the Palestinian Border Authority Salim Abu Safiyeh said on Thursday that Israel had partially reopened a key commercial crossing on the Gaza-Israeli border.

    Safiyeh told reporters that the Karni crossing was reopened partially for food and medicine to flow into the Gaza Strip, but trucks carrying Gazan goods were still not allowed to enter Israel via the crossing.

    Describing the Israeli move as "a step in the right direction", Safiyeh called for full operation of the crossing, voicing hope that trucks would be allowed into Israel as of Sunday.

    The Karni crossing has been sealed since Feb. 21 as Israel claimed that intelligence showed Palestinian militants intended to carry out attacks at the crossing.

    The closure of the crossing has dealt a heavy blow to the Gazan economy as tons of agricultural and other produces were stranded in the coastal strip and Palestinians there were facing a soaring shortage of daily necessities.

    Israel withdrew from the entire Gaza Strip last summer, but still controls the Karni crossing.

    Under a U.S.-brokered agreement on Gaza border last October, Israel has promised to gradually lift restrictions at the Karni crossing to allow an easier access for goods in and out of the Gaza Strip. Enditem