Israel is to reopen the Erez crossing from the Gaza Strip Sunday for the first time since a suicide bombing, allowing some 4,000 Palestinians to return to jobs inside the Jewish state, the Israeli army and Palestinian security sources said Saturday.

"Due to the lifting of the closure the entrance of workers and merchants into Israel, as well as the entrance of workers into the Erez industrial zone, is permitted," the army said in a statement.

Israel imposed a strict closure on the Gaza Strip on Thursday after a Palestinian mother-of-two blew herself up at the crossing, killing four Israelis in the first such suicide operation by the Islamic militant movement Hamas involving a woman.

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