Israel has announced it will loosen its blockade on the Gaza Strip by allowing a greater variety of goods to enter the territory, which has been deprived of basic imports including medicine and construction material for more than three years.

The Israeli prime minister's office said it will start prohibiting only items deemed as "weapons or war material" to mitigate security risks.

But specifics as to what constitutes "war material" have not been mentioned, fueling widespread fears that much needed items will remain banned from entering Gaza.

Al Jazeera's Sherine Tadros reports from Jerusalem.

[June 21, 2010]