Hamas Warns of Consequences of Zionist Gaza Siege
GAZA STRIP (Dispatches) – The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has warned the Zionist regime of "dangerous consequences” as the regime tightens its inhumane siege on the Gaza Strip by blocking fuel shipments into the coastal enclave.
On July 9, the regime imposed sanctions on Gaza in what it described as a crackdown against Hamas. The regime closed the Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s main conduit for trade, to most merchandise, except for fuel, food and medicine.
The occupying regime’s military said the closure would continue as long as Palestinian protesters send kites and balloons loaded with flammable material into the occupied lands.
On Monday night, the Zionist war minister’s office announced in a statement that Avigdor Lieberman had decided to halt fuel transfer into Gaza from Tuesday morning until Sunday in response to what it called "terror attempts” by Hamas, which runs Gaza.
"Lieberman, in consultation with the chief of staff, has decided to close the Kerem Shalom crossing to imports of oil and gas until this Sunday,” the statement read. "The crossing will continue to transfer food and medicine [shipments] that are individually approved.”
The statement also noted that the Zionist regime had reduced the area where Gaza fishermen were allowed to fish, from six nautical miles to three.
In response, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum condemned the Zionist regime’s closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing as a crime against Palestinian people.
"The Israeli occupation’s closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing and depriving Gaza from the most simple necessities of life is a crime against humanity that will be added to its list of crimes at the expense of the Palestinian people including those living in the Strip,” he said in a statement.
"These vengeful measures reflect the degree of the oppression and the ugliness of the crime that Gaza is facing, that will have dangerous consequences for which the occupation will bear full responsibility,” he added.
According to latest reports, the number of trucks, which carried food into the Gaza Strip last week, was the lowest in recent months.
Separately, Egyptian officials manning the Rafah border crossing with Gaza said it would not be operating Tuesday in both directions, without providing reasons. The crossing has been open since late May.
On July 9, the regime imposed sanctions on Gaza in what it described as a crackdown against Hamas. The regime closed the Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s main conduit for trade, to most merchandise, except for fuel, food and medicine.
The occupying regime’s military said the closure would continue as long as Palestinian protesters send kites and balloons loaded with flammable material into the occupied lands.
On Monday night, the Zionist war minister’s office announced in a statement that Avigdor Lieberman had decided to halt fuel transfer into Gaza from Tuesday morning until Sunday in response to what it called "terror attempts” by Hamas, which runs Gaza.
"Lieberman, in consultation with the chief of staff, has decided to close the Kerem Shalom crossing to imports of oil and gas until this Sunday,” the statement read. "The crossing will continue to transfer food and medicine [shipments] that are individually approved.”
The statement also noted that the Zionist regime had reduced the area where Gaza fishermen were allowed to fish, from six nautical miles to three.
In response, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum condemned the Zionist regime’s closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing as a crime against Palestinian people.
"The Israeli occupation’s closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing and depriving Gaza from the most simple necessities of life is a crime against humanity that will be added to its list of crimes at the expense of the Palestinian people including those living in the Strip,” he said in a statement.
"These vengeful measures reflect the degree of the oppression and the ugliness of the crime that Gaza is facing, that will have dangerous consequences for which the occupation will bear full responsibility,” he added.
According to latest reports, the number of trucks, which carried food into the Gaza Strip last week, was the lowest in recent months.
Separately, Egyptian officials manning the Rafah border crossing with Gaza said it would not be operating Tuesday in both directions, without providing reasons. The crossing has been open since late May.