Officials at Cairo International Airport told German agency DPA that Egypt is allowing Palestinians free entry into the country, Egypt Independent reported.

The decision puts an end to the five-year blockade on the Gaza Strip. From now on Palestinians can leave Gaza and travel to Egypt without clearances or visas. The new policy also applies to Palestinians from the West Bank and Jerusalem.

For five years, the 1.6 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been living under a blockade imposed on security grounds by the government of Israel in violation of international law. This was in response to sporadic rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel by armed groups.

The directives were applied Monday morning when seven Palestinians, waiting at Cairo International Airport for National Security Agency Review, were allowed to enter the country directly under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority’s embassy.

Sources added that Palestinians between the ages of 18 and 40 will be subject to extra security screening by the National Security Agency.