Israel Limits Aid to Gaza
According to the New York Times Israeli officials have stated that fuel supplies have been reduced to Gaza and one of two crossings used for supplies has been shit down.
The actions result from Israeli government decisions to use sanctions as a method to deal with continuous rocket fire from the Hamas-run territory.
The industrial fuel that is used in the Gaza power plant would not decreased, Shlomo Dror, a spokesman for the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories, the Israeli agency that oversees supplies to Gaza, said. However he said that fuel for personal use and transportation would be affected.
Israel, like the United States and the European Union, considers Hamas a terrorist organization and refuses to deal with it. Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, and its charter seeks Israel’s destruction.
With only one crossing open, the amount of trucks carrying in supplies will be cut in half. “We will allow in the minimum amount of food and medicines necessary to avoid a humanitarian crisis,� Mr. Dror said. (New York Times)
Hamas has stated that they were not firing rockets into Israel but it was the act of smaller militant groups. They said that they have only launched mortar shells at Israeli military bases in retaliation to Israeli attacks. However, since Hamas is the controlling authority in Gaza, Israel holds them responsible.