Israel agreed today to ease blockade of Gaza and pledged to take steps towards policy relaxation as soon as possible due to an increasing international pressure to end the blockade after Israeli commandos stormed the Gaza aid flotilla last month.

The Palestinian authorities say Israel only allows 150 types of products into the Gaza Strip after Israel and Egypt tightened the blockade of the enclave in 2007.

Israel said it would allow all goods except weapons and materials that can be used to make them.

The Israeli government pledged on Thursday to ease the land blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The Guardian cited the Israeli government's statement as saying that steps towards the easing of the policy would be implemented "as quickly as possible."

Mark Regev, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman, said the policy aims to allow "civilian products for the civilian population."

Israeli commandos stormed on May 31 the six-ship Freedom Flotilla in international waters off the coast of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip as it carried some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Palestinian enclave.

Nine activists were killed and dozens were injured. Hundreds were deported.

MOSCOW, June 20 (RIA Novosti)