Israel agreed to allow Gaza farmers to export flowers to Europe through its commercial crossing points with the blockaded Gaza Strip, Palestinian and Israeli sources said Thursday.

Israeli authorities have told Palestinian farmers union that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak agreed to allow flower growers to ship their plants, according to Mahmoud Khalil, head of Gaza flowers and strawberry producers society.

"The Netherlands has put pressure on Israel to agree Gaza flower exports to the European Union... We will send the first shipment on December 10," Khalil told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Khalil called for more international pressure on Israel to allow strawberry exports alongside the flowers.

"The Netherlands should continue giving its pressure, especially after it has sponsored the planting of nearly 200 acres of strawberry," Khalil said.

Israel has been imposing a blockade on Gaza since Islamic Hamas movement seized the control of the coastal enclave in June 2007.

The last time Israel allowed export from Gaza was in February 2009, in which shipments of roses were exported to Europe for the Valentine's Day.

Gaza used to be a main flower and strawberry source to the European markets before the Israeli blockade.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2009)