The Palestinian Authority is set to assume responsibility for the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings in Gaza on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa said.

Mustafa, who is also head of a reconstruction committee for Gaza, told Ma’an Friday that the PA will take charge of building materials entering Gaza and the movement of Palestinians between Gaza and the West Bank.

Representatives in the health, agriculture, housing and civil affairs ministries will be in charge of monitoring materials for their respective sector.

According to the terms of an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, materials entering the Gaza Strip will be checked to ensure no weapons enter the tiny coastal enclave.

The first step must be for Israel to provide the promised facilitation of construction materials, adding that the process of rebuilding the heavily damaged Gaza Strip depends on the amount of international donor funds.

Israel has for the last eight years severely restricted all imports and exports, including basic supplies such as concrete.

Gazans have been almost completely restricted from entering Israel since the beginning of the siege in 2006, but before that could apply for permits for work or tourism similar to West Bank Palestinians.

(Ma’an – www.maannews.net)