Special report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts       

    AMMAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) denounced here Sunday that Israel has been blocking its emergency medical team into the Gaza Strip.

    Even though the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel opened for other humanitarian workers and foreigners leaving the strip, the ICRC team has been awaiting permission to enter Gaza since Friday morning, ICRC said in a statement.

    The organization had notified the Israeli authorities of the team's arrival in advance, it further complained.

    According to the ICRC, its team consists of four medics and specialists led by an experienced ICRC war surgeon, who are seeking to enter Gaza to help the medical staff of Shifa Hospital there to conduct complex operations for people injured by the bombing.

    "It is absolutely essential that this team get into Gaza now, as they are mostly needed now," said Pierre Wettach, head of the ICRC delegation in Israel and the occupied territories.

    On Saturday, Israel's ground troops entered the Gaza Strip ruled by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) for the second phase of offensive on the militant group after eight days of air strikes.

    Israel's military action, aimed at retaliating for Hamas militants' rocket attacks into Israel, has so far killed some 480 Palestinians and wounded more than 2,400 others.