GAZA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Minister of Transportation announced on Wednesday that Egypt has agreed to let Palestinian airlines use an Egyptian airport instead of the disused Gaza International Airport.

    According to the agreement with Egyptian authorities, the Palestinian airlines would be able to take off and land in northern Egyptian town of al-Ariesh which is located a few kilometers away from Gaza Strip, Minister Zeyad al-Zaza told reporters.

    Israel sealed off Gaza airport at the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising in late 2000. Two years later, it destroyed the runway and control-tower while the three Palestinian airplanes were abroad.

    Al-Zaza added the losses resulted from the Israeli destruction were estimated at 26 million U.S. dollars.

    The agreement, reached through Saudi and Egyptian effort, will come into effect after Iran meets its commitments to present two aircrafts for the Palestinian airlines, the Hamas-led government minister said.

    A Palestinian technical team will go to Iran as soon as Israel reopens Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, he added.

    Al-Zaza said the Israeli blockade on Gaza Strip blocked several projects and denied entry of money and aid that Arab and Islamic nations allocated for the Palestinian people. Enditem