A defense official told AFP that the fuel restriction had been removed on Sunday.

:: Israel has lifted a restriction on fuel delivered to Gaza for electricity, a defense official said on Monday, a week after cutting the flow by half over a series of violent incidents.

Israeli defense ministry unit COGAT announced on August 26 it was halving the amount of fuel allowed into Gaza from its territory after three rockets were fired at the Jewish state the day before.

Israel responded with airstrikes against the Gaza Strip’s ruling Hamas movement.

A series of other violent incidents in August preceded that.

A further round occurred on August 27, when Gaza militants fired a mortar round across the border and an Israeli aircraft struck a Hamas post in northern Gaza in response.

There have not been projectile launches from Gaza since.

A defense official told AFP that the fuel restriction had been removed on Sunday.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008 and fears of a fourth remain.

Israel maintains a crippling blockade of Gaza it says is necessary to isolate Hamas and keep it from obtaining weapons, but which critics label collective punishment.