Hundreds of Palestinian truck drivers held a sit-in on Monday to protest against Israel's plans to close one of the main entry points for imports into the Gaza Strip.

The truckers gathered at the entrance to the southern Kerem Shalom crossing, shutting down the movement of goods into the coastal enclave to protest against Israeli plans to halt operations at the Karni crossing in northern Gaza.

The Israeli military has said the conveyor belts at Karni are being shifted to the Kerem Shalom crossing because of security threats at Karni, which have already limited its operation to two days a week.

Moving the crossing to Kerem Shalom would allow more produce, particularly gravel, to enter the Gaza Strip, a military spokesman told AFP.

But Jihad Aslim, a spokesman for the Gaza's truckers' association, said truck drivers were not convinced that Kerem Shalom would be able to absorb the traffic from Karni, and that the shift would increase their costs.

The Kerem Shalom crossing is located at the most southerly point of Gaza's border with Israel, while Karni is much closer to Gaza City.

Around 1,000 drivers were involved in the protest, with some 450 trucks blocking the entrance to Kerem Shalom.

The closure of Karni will make Kerem Shalom the sole entry point for goods and aid entering the Gaza Strip from Israel.