Relatives of Palestinians jailed in Israel left the Gaza Strip on Monday to visit detainees, a prisoners group said, in the fifth such visit since 2007.

As part of a deal to end mass hunger strikes in Israeli jails in May, Israeli authorities agreed to ease a ban on Gaza families visiting prisons.

Fifty-seven people left Gaza on Monday to visit 42 imprisoned relatives in Israel, Gaza-based prisoners group Husam said.

Group spokesman Muwaffaq Hmeid stressed that the visit came after the death of two parents of prisoners last week, before they were able to visit their imprisoned children.

One, the mother of prisoner Imad Shehadah, died last Monday while on the bus while travelling to visit her son in Israeli jail.

In 2007, Israel started limiting what it considers privileges for Hamas and Gaza prisoners in a bid to put pressure on Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was held in Gaza until last fall.

The visitors issue was one of the key demands of the hundreds of prisoners who went on a hunger strike in the spring.

In a deal to end the strike, Israeli authorities agreed to allow limited personal visits.