JERUSALEM, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel allowed around 900 Gaza pilgrims to travel through Israeli territory to the Islamic holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, local media reported Sunday.

    Israeli officials were quoted by the website of local daily Ha'aretz as saying that the passage through the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing was under way at midday. It did not specify how many Gazans have actually crossed.

    Hussein El Sheikh, head of the civil affairs department in the government of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the 900 pilgrims would be let through Erez by Monday morning, if not earlier.

    Since Islamic Hamas group took over Gaza in June, Israel and Egypt sealed their borders with the territory to passenger traffic.

    Several weeks ago, Egypt opened its border to hundreds of Gaza pilgrims - the first time Gazans were permitted to enter Egyptian territory through the Rafah crossing since the Hamas takeover in mid June.

    The pilgrims traveling on Sunday were to ride in a convoy through Israel to the West Bank town of Jericho, and from there to Jordan, where they were to board flights to Saudi Arabia, El Sheikh said.

    The Israeli approval was given at the last minute. The pilgrimage, or hajj, ends on Tuesday with the beginning of the four-day Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha (feast of sacrifice).