Jerusalem: The Israeli Army today (Jan 18, 2004) lifted the closure of the Gaza Strip it had imposed on Wednesday (Jan 14) after a Palestinian suicide bombing at the Erez crossing point, a military spokesman said.

"The closure has been lifted and the Palestinian workers in the Gaza Strip are authorized to use the Erez crossing terminal," he said.

The industrial zone next to the terminal was also reopened, he added.

Some 5,000 Palestinians pass through the Erez checkpoint daily to work in Israel.

Israeli military sources had said Friday (Jan 16) that the crossing would remain closed until repairs had been carried out and more effective security measures put in place.

The Jan 14 bombing, which left four Israelis dead inside the terminal building at the crossing, was carried out by a 22-year-old mother of two who belonged to the radical Hamas movement.

Israeli media reports said today that a military inquiry into the incident had shown the woman who carried out the attack was driven to it "to defend the honour of her family".

Her husband had accused her of cheating on him and he drove her personally to the checkpoint, the reports said.