EREZ CHECKPOINT (GAZA STRIP), August 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian diplomats helped 36 compatriots, mainly children and women, leave the sealed-up Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the Russian Embassy in Israel said.

The Russians are now being transported to Jordan via Israel to fly on to Russia. A Russian woman with a child will follow the route after resolving visa problems, but three other Russian citizens were denied permits to leave the enclave by the Israeli authorities.

Israel closed border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after two rockets were fired into the country on Monday.

Occasional rocket attacks from the enclave of 1.5 million Palestinians, controlled by the radical Hamas group, have continued despite a ceasefire agreed in June. Israel usually responds by shutting border crossings with Gaza, preventing humanitarian supplies to the region.