(MENAFN- IANS) Ramallah, Oct 5 (IANS) A European Union (EU) official announced that the development of Kerem Shalom, the key commercial crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel, will take place before the end of 2021.

Shadi Othman, the EU spokesman in the Palestinian territories, told Xinhua news agency that the upgrading of the commercial crossingis within a package of development projects that will be approved for Palestine.

"The plans for the development project of the commercial crossing of Kerem Shalom in southern Gaza Strip are in place, but the budget and the nature of the work are not yet clear," Othman noted.

He made the remarks in response to an earlier Israeli media report, which said that the EU devoted 6 million euros to develop Kerem Shalom crossing to meet the needs of export and import in the Gaza Strip.

The report also said that the new project will lead to the expansion of the truck lane, the renewal of the infrastructure, and the installation of advanced electronic scanning systems.

It added that the purpose of developing the only commercial crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip is to keep the unloading of the trucks in accordance with the conditions of the Israeli side.

Othman said that the EU-funded projects allocated to the Palestinian territories aim to support the economy and several sectors, including water, infrastructure, and the Gaza Strip's community.

On Sunday, EU officials visited the Gaza Strip and met Palestinian businessmen, according to an official statement.

The statement said that they called on Israel to lift the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007 and facilitate free commercial movement for the population of the impoverished coastal enclave.

--IANS

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