GAZA CITY: Israel closed its border with Gaza Strip yesterday
According to Israeli radio, the closure occurred after two homemade rockets fired from Gaza landed in Israel on Monday night. The radio reported that, following the attack, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his deputy Matan Vilnai held a meeting and decided to order the border sealed.
Two homemade rockets were fired into Israel on Monday, the Israeli military said, adding that they caused no damage or casualties. No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks.
After Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on June 19, Israel began gradually to open border crossing points, and allowed a slight increase in shipments of essential goods into the Gaza Strip.
Tel Aviv imposed strict sanctions on the Gaza Strip last June after Hamas took over control of the territory by force, but the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt helped to restore relative calm although Hamas says Israel still limits the flow of cargo into the Strip and does not compensate for the shortage that occur when crossings are closed due to rocket attacks.
Meanwhile, the shadowy leader of Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, vowed to continue battle until the victory over Israel. The new comments by Mohammed Al-Deif were published yesterday on a Hamas website.
Hamas says Al-Deif’s call to battle is part of a new book glorifying comrades killed in fighting with Israel. Al-Deif is one of Israel’s most wanted activists. He has survived several assassination attempts and lives in hiding. In his new comments, Al-Deif says he will go on fighting until he is either victorious or is killed.
