JERUSALEM — Israel said Tuesday that it would permit Palestinians to fish up to six nautical miles off the Gaza coast, canceling the limit of three nautical miles that was imposed after Gaza militants fired rockets into Israel in March.

The announcement came as Secretary of State John Kerry flew to the Middle East for a trip that will include meetings with the Syrian opposition and efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Israel agreed to continue easing restrictions on Gaza as part of an American-brokered reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey two months ago.

Israel issued a statement saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, had approved the expansion of the designated fishing zone, and that senior Palestinian, Egyptian and international officials had been informed about the decision.

Citing the need to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza, Israel maintains a naval blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave, which is controlled by the Islamic militant group Hamas.