JERUSALEM: Israel on Tuesday increased the number of work permits for Palestinians in Gaza, part of a series of measures affecting Palestinians ahead of US President Joe Biden’s arrival in Jerusalem.

An additional 1,500 Palestinians will be allowed to leave the blockaded Gaza Strip to work in Israel, the military said in a statement.

The move was described as part of “a series of measures for building confidence between Israel and the Palestinian Authority” by COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories.

The extra permits mean a total of 15,500 Gazans will be permitted to work in Israel, where Palestinians often find jobs as labourers on construction sites or farms.