13 aug 2016
Muhammad Shlouf
Israeli forces, on Friday, injured a Palestinian with live fire in the eastern part of al-Bureij refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip, during clashes with Israeli forces deployed near the border between the besieged enclave and Israel.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qidra, told Ma’an News Agency that a 23-year-old sustained light injuries in the leg as Israeli snipers opened live fire at several Palestinians as protests erupted in the refugee camp.
Meanwhile, protests were also reported in the eastern part of Gaza City, where witnesses said that Israeli snipers hid behind large dirt mounds as they shot live fire and tear gas bombs at protesters.
An Israeli army spokesperson said that protesters “approached the buffer zone“, after which Israeli forces “fired warning shots,” causing the protesters to retreat. The spokesperson made no comment on the reported injury.
Since the start of what Palestinians have termed the “Jerusalem Intifada” which spread across the occupied Palestinian territory in October, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have crowded near the borders with Israel every Friday to show solidarity with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
At least 26 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October, the majority of whom were shot dead by Israeli forces during popular demonstrations along the Gaza-Israeli border. Though the unrest has settled down, Palestinians in Gaza continue to experience Israeli military incursions along Israel’s unilaterally declared “buffer zone” on an almost daily basis, with Israeli forces routinely opening live fire on Palestinian farmers, shepherds, and fishermen.
At least 161 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been injured by Israeli forces since the start of 2016, with 1,422 Gazans injured during 2015, according to UN documentation. At least 15,475 Palestinians in the whole of the occupied Palestinian territory were injured by Israeli forces during 2015.
The majority of the more than 1.8 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are sealed inside the coastal enclave due to a near-decade long military blockade imposed by Israel and upheld by Egypt on the southern border.
The UN has warned that the Gaza Strip would become uninhabitable for residents by 2020, pointing to the devastation of war and the crippling effects of Israel’s blockade.
UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for providing services to some five million Palestinian refugees, noted last month that 80 percent of the population in Gaza were dependent on humanitarian assistance.
In related news, a member of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, was killed by an electric shock on Saturday while working inside a tunnel in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The military wing released a statement confirming the death of Muhammad Shlouf from the city of Gaza.
A number of Palestinians in Gaza have been injured and killed in the vast tunnel networks that lie below the besieged enclave, which are largely used for smuggling in the coastal enclave’s south and military purposes in the north.
In April and May, Israeli forces claimed to have uncovered the first two tunnels crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel since Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza in 2014.
The Hamas movement which governs the blockaded Palestinian territory has been allegedly reconstructing a vast tunnel network intended to be used for carrying out attacks on Israeli military targets and civilians, swathes of which were destroyed during the war.
While the tunnels are used by Hamas as a source of tax revenue and inflow of weapons from the south, they also supply highly-demanded necessities for Gazans — who have been trapped under Israeli siege for a decade — including food, medicine, and much-needed infrastructure materials.
The Institute for Palestine Studies reported in 2012 that Hamas authorities had counted 160 deaths inside the tunnels since the Israeli blockade began in 2007, and in August 2014, al-Jazeera reported that figure to be as high as 400.
Israeli forces, on Friday, injured a Palestinian with live fire in the eastern part of al-Bureij refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip, during clashes with Israeli forces deployed near the border between the besieged enclave and Israel.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qidra, told Ma’an News Agency that a 23-year-old sustained light injuries in the leg as Israeli snipers opened live fire at several Palestinians as protests erupted in the refugee camp.
Meanwhile, protests were also reported in the eastern part of Gaza City, where witnesses said that Israeli snipers hid behind large dirt mounds as they shot live fire and tear gas bombs at protesters.
An Israeli army spokesperson said that protesters “approached the buffer zone“, after which Israeli forces “fired warning shots,” causing the protesters to retreat. The spokesperson made no comment on the reported injury.
Since the start of what Palestinians have termed the “Jerusalem Intifada” which spread across the occupied Palestinian territory in October, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have crowded near the borders with Israel every Friday to show solidarity with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
At least 26 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October, the majority of whom were shot dead by Israeli forces during popular demonstrations along the Gaza-Israeli border. Though the unrest has settled down, Palestinians in Gaza continue to experience Israeli military incursions along Israel’s unilaterally declared “buffer zone” on an almost daily basis, with Israeli forces routinely opening live fire on Palestinian farmers, shepherds, and fishermen.
At least 161 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been injured by Israeli forces since the start of 2016, with 1,422 Gazans injured during 2015, according to UN documentation. At least 15,475 Palestinians in the whole of the occupied Palestinian territory were injured by Israeli forces during 2015.
The majority of the more than 1.8 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are sealed inside the coastal enclave due to a near-decade long military blockade imposed by Israel and upheld by Egypt on the southern border.
The UN has warned that the Gaza Strip would become uninhabitable for residents by 2020, pointing to the devastation of war and the crippling effects of Israel’s blockade.
UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for providing services to some five million Palestinian refugees, noted last month that 80 percent of the population in Gaza were dependent on humanitarian assistance.
In related news, a member of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, was killed by an electric shock on Saturday while working inside a tunnel in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The military wing released a statement confirming the death of Muhammad Shlouf from the city of Gaza.
A number of Palestinians in Gaza have been injured and killed in the vast tunnel networks that lie below the besieged enclave, which are largely used for smuggling in the coastal enclave’s south and military purposes in the north.
In April and May, Israeli forces claimed to have uncovered the first two tunnels crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel since Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza in 2014.
The Hamas movement which governs the blockaded Palestinian territory has been allegedly reconstructing a vast tunnel network intended to be used for carrying out attacks on Israeli military targets and civilians, swathes of which were destroyed during the war.
While the tunnels are used by Hamas as a source of tax revenue and inflow of weapons from the south, they also supply highly-demanded necessities for Gazans — who have been trapped under Israeli siege for a decade — including food, medicine, and much-needed infrastructure materials.
The Institute for Palestine Studies reported in 2012 that Hamas authorities had counted 160 deaths inside the tunnels since the Israeli blockade began in 2007, and in August 2014, al-Jazeera reported that figure to be as high as 400.
10 aug 2016
Eight members of Palestinian resistance were injured at a late hour Tuesday evening due to tunnel collapse east of Gaza City.
Ashraf al-Qudra, the spokesman of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, revealed in a written statement that injuries varied from light to moderate.
A score of Palestinian resistance members have recently died during their work in Gaza's tunnels.
They are declared martyrs by the Palestinian factions since they died in resistance missions.
Ashraf al-Qudra, the spokesman of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, revealed in a written statement that injuries varied from light to moderate.
A score of Palestinian resistance members have recently died during their work in Gaza's tunnels.
They are declared martyrs by the Palestinian factions since they died in resistance missions.
8 aug 2016
Deputy head of Hamas's political bureau Ismail Haneyya has described the blood of martyrs who died during preparation and training missions as "the fuel for victory and liberation."
Haneyya made his remarks during his participation on Sunday in the funeral of martyr Khaled al-Hor, a member of al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas who died in a tunnel collapse the day before.
Haneyya hailed the Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza for working day and night to make preparations to fend off any possible Israeli aggression against their people.
Thousands of Palestinian citizens led by senior Hamas political and military leaders marched in the funeral procession of the martyr in al-Bureij refugee camp, south of Gaza.
Several tunnel collapse incidents happened recently in Gaza, killing about 18 resistance fighters. Reasons for these collapses are still unclear.
The construction of tunnels had helped al-Qassam Brigades launch several deadly counterattacks against Israeli soldiers during the 2014 war.
Haneyya made his remarks during his participation on Sunday in the funeral of martyr Khaled al-Hor, a member of al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas who died in a tunnel collapse the day before.
Haneyya hailed the Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza for working day and night to make preparations to fend off any possible Israeli aggression against their people.
Thousands of Palestinian citizens led by senior Hamas political and military leaders marched in the funeral procession of the martyr in al-Bureij refugee camp, south of Gaza.
Several tunnel collapse incidents happened recently in Gaza, killing about 18 resistance fighters. Reasons for these collapses are still unclear.
The construction of tunnels had helped al-Qassam Brigades launch several deadly counterattacks against Israeli soldiers during the 2014 war.
7 aug 2016
Khaled Methqal al-Hoor 23
The al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has reported that one of its fighters was killed, Saturday, when a tunnel collapsed on him, in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, al-Qassam said the fighter has been identified as Khaled Methqal al-Hoor, 23.
Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said rescue teams located the body of al-Hoor buried under the rubble, and moved it to the Shifa Hospital, in central Gaza.
According to the al-Qassam Brigades, ten of its fighters have been killed in several tunnel accidents in several parts of the Gaza Strip, since the beginning of this year.
The al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has reported that one of its fighters was killed, Saturday, when a tunnel collapsed on him, in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, al-Qassam said the fighter has been identified as Khaled Methqal al-Hoor, 23.
Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said rescue teams located the body of al-Hoor buried under the rubble, and moved it to the Shifa Hospital, in central Gaza.
According to the al-Qassam Brigades, ten of its fighters have been killed in several tunnel accidents in several parts of the Gaza Strip, since the beginning of this year.
19 july 2016
Saleh al-Astal 28
One Palestinian fighter was killed, Monday, and at least three others were injured, when a border tunnel collapsed on them, in the al-Qarara town, in the southern Gaza Strip district of Khan Younis.
The al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, said the Palestinian was one of its fighters, identified as Saleh al-Astal, 28.
Medical sources in Khan Younis said First Responders managed to locate al-Astal’s body, and rescued three other Palestinians, who suffered various injuries. They added that the search is still ongoing for two missing persons.
One Palestinian fighter was killed, Monday, and at least three others were injured, when a border tunnel collapsed on them, in the al-Qarara town, in the southern Gaza Strip district of Khan Younis.
The al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, said the Palestinian was one of its fighters, identified as Saleh al-Astal, 28.
Medical sources in Khan Younis said First Responders managed to locate al-Astal’s body, and rescued three other Palestinians, who suffered various injuries. They added that the search is still ongoing for two missing persons.
10 july 2016
Ibrahim Hasan al-Masri 28
The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, has reported, on Sunday at dawn, that one of its fighters was killed in a tunnel accident, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Brigades identified the fighter as Ibrahim Hasan al-Masri, 28, from Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the besieged coastal region.
The Brigades added that its fighters “will always remain ready to counter any Israeli aggression, and will continue the struggle for liberation and independence.”
Tunnel accidents have claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, and hundreds more have been injured, when the tunnels collapsed on them, or when Israel bombarded them.
Among the casualties of tunnel accidents are Palestinian workers, not affiliated with any group, but had to work in tunnels to provide for their families amidst the Israeli blockade on the coastal region.
The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, has reported, on Sunday at dawn, that one of its fighters was killed in a tunnel accident, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Brigades identified the fighter as Ibrahim Hasan al-Masri, 28, from Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the besieged coastal region.
The Brigades added that its fighters “will always remain ready to counter any Israeli aggression, and will continue the struggle for liberation and independence.”
Tunnel accidents have claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, and hundreds more have been injured, when the tunnels collapsed on them, or when Israel bombarded them.
Among the casualties of tunnel accidents are Palestinian workers, not affiliated with any group, but had to work in tunnels to provide for their families amidst the Israeli blockade on the coastal region.
16 june 2016
Israeli news site Ynet, on Thursday revealed the Israeli state’s plans to build a concrete wall along the Gaza-Israeli borders, reportedly to halt the use of tunnels from Gaza.
According to Ynet, the wall will be dug to a depth of several dozen meters underground and will also be built above it.
It will stretch along 60 miles of the southern border around the Gaza Strip, and will cost NIS 2.2 billion (approx $570 million).
The tunnels, dug by Hamas, the ruling party in Gaza, are used as the only breather for Gaza, especially after Israel and Egypt both have closed their crossings to Gaza.
The Israeli military has been increasing its use of bulldozers on the Palestinian side of the Gaza border fence, while Egyptian authorities have swamped them with seawater.
This wall, according to the PNN, will be the third of its kind that the Israeli government has built along the border.
Ynet said that, in addition, the Israeli army is currently erecting a wall around sections of the border with Lebanon, adjacent to which a number of Israeli towns are located.
In 2002, Israel erected the wall in the occupied West Bank which, in 2008, was 252 miles long, and will be eventually 491 miles long.
According to Ynet, the wall will be dug to a depth of several dozen meters underground and will also be built above it.
It will stretch along 60 miles of the southern border around the Gaza Strip, and will cost NIS 2.2 billion (approx $570 million).
The tunnels, dug by Hamas, the ruling party in Gaza, are used as the only breather for Gaza, especially after Israel and Egypt both have closed their crossings to Gaza.
The Israeli military has been increasing its use of bulldozers on the Palestinian side of the Gaza border fence, while Egyptian authorities have swamped them with seawater.
This wall, according to the PNN, will be the third of its kind that the Israeli government has built along the border.
Ynet said that, in addition, the Israeli army is currently erecting a wall around sections of the border with Lebanon, adjacent to which a number of Israeli towns are located.
In 2002, Israel erected the wall in the occupied West Bank which, in 2008, was 252 miles long, and will be eventually 491 miles long.
10 may 2016
A Palestinian minor was indicted on Tuesday morning in Israel’s Beer Sheva District Court for allegedly providing assistance in the protection of Hamas-built tunnels in the besieged Gaza Strip, the Israeli army announced after an Israeli authorities-issued gag order was lifted on the case.
The Israeli army said the minor, a resident of the Jebalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, was active in Hamas’ northern Gaza Strip Brigade and carried out military operations on Israeli forces. The statement alleged that most of his training was geared towards "infiltration, entry into buildings, and the detonation of explosive charges as part of a concept that the next combat would be on Israeli territory."
He also took part in planting explosives in and around Hamas-built tunnels and stored additional explosives in his home -- allegedly to use in the event Israeli forces entered the tunnels, the statement added.
Israeli forces detained the young Palestinian on April 6 after he attempted to cross the security fence into Israel from the blockaded coastal territory. He is allegedly "one of a several militants currently being investigated by the ISA (Israel Securities Authority) and who are revealing updated internal information about Hamas's intensive tunnel digging activity."
Israeli security said they acquired “extensive” information on Hamas’ tunnel activities during their investigation, including information on emergency tunnel routes and the location of several tunnel shafts.
The identity of the minor and the details of his sentence has yet to be released by the Israeli authorities. An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an she expects his identity will be revealed in the next few days.
The unidentified minor is the second alleged Hamas operative detained over suspected involvement in the tunnel crossings in the last week, following four consecutive days of Israeli aerial assaults on the besieged enclave.
In less than a month, Israeli forces claimed to have uncovered the first two tunnels crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel since Israel's devastating offensive on the small Palestinian territory in 2014.
There have been reports in recent months that Hamas has expanded its tunnel network -- used mainly for military purposes in the northern Gaza Strip and smuggling in the south.
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of "preparing" for another war with Israel and have threatened retaliatory measures against the Gaza Strip as a whole. However, despite Hamas' inflammatory rhetoric against Israel, the movement insisted Friday it does not call for a new war with Israel.
The Israeli army said the minor, a resident of the Jebalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, was active in Hamas’ northern Gaza Strip Brigade and carried out military operations on Israeli forces. The statement alleged that most of his training was geared towards "infiltration, entry into buildings, and the detonation of explosive charges as part of a concept that the next combat would be on Israeli territory."
He also took part in planting explosives in and around Hamas-built tunnels and stored additional explosives in his home -- allegedly to use in the event Israeli forces entered the tunnels, the statement added.
Israeli forces detained the young Palestinian on April 6 after he attempted to cross the security fence into Israel from the blockaded coastal territory. He is allegedly "one of a several militants currently being investigated by the ISA (Israel Securities Authority) and who are revealing updated internal information about Hamas's intensive tunnel digging activity."
Israeli security said they acquired “extensive” information on Hamas’ tunnel activities during their investigation, including information on emergency tunnel routes and the location of several tunnel shafts.
The identity of the minor and the details of his sentence has yet to be released by the Israeli authorities. An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an she expects his identity will be revealed in the next few days.
The unidentified minor is the second alleged Hamas operative detained over suspected involvement in the tunnel crossings in the last week, following four consecutive days of Israeli aerial assaults on the besieged enclave.
In less than a month, Israeli forces claimed to have uncovered the first two tunnels crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel since Israel's devastating offensive on the small Palestinian territory in 2014.
There have been reports in recent months that Hamas has expanded its tunnel network -- used mainly for military purposes in the northern Gaza Strip and smuggling in the south.
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of "preparing" for another war with Israel and have threatened retaliatory measures against the Gaza Strip as a whole. However, despite Hamas' inflammatory rhetoric against Israel, the movement insisted Friday it does not call for a new war with Israel.
5 may 2016
The Israeli army said on Thursday that it had uncovered a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip, as tensions escalated in the besieged Palestinian enclave in the past several days.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the army said the tunnel was located after it detained a Hamas operative, which it identified as 29-year-old Jabalia resident Mahmoud Atuna, in April after he reportedly crossed into Israel.
“Following combined efforts of intelligence and ground forces, the IDF (Israeli army) has uncovered an additional offensive tunnel adjacent to the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip,” the army said in a statement.
“No one should be living in fear of being attacked in their home by terrorists infiltrating from underground,” the statement quoted spokesman Peter Lerner as saying. “The IDF is determined to maintain the safety and stability of the area and will continue to use all means necessary to target Hamas’ terror activities.”
The Israeli army said Atuna was part of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, and confessed to having planned to attack Israeli soldiers when he was detained.
Atuna gave the Israeli army “detailed information regarding tunnel trajectory in the northern Gaza Strip, Hamas’ construction methods, and how Hamas utilized private homes and public institutions to hide the tunnels,” the army statement said.
The statement added that Atuna also named a number of fellow Hamas members, and that an indictment has been filed against him in the Beer Sheba court.
Hamas has yet to publicly comment on Atuna or the tunnel uncovered on Thursday.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that the tunnel “appeared to be crossing into Israeli territory,” but that the information had yet to be confirmed by Israeli forces were on the ground. She added that the tunnel had not been uncovered by Israeli airstrikes which took place in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night.
Earlier on Thursday morning, eyewitnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces were leveling land near the southern Gaza border east of Rafah City with two Israeli bulldozers and three military trench diggers and proceeded to level and dig a tract of land. The army spokesperson said she could not confirm whether this report was linked to the search for the tunnel.
The discovery of the tunnel came as Israeli forces launched a series of airstrikes and shellings across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Thursday, in response to several mortars fired from the Palestinian territory at Israeli soldiers.
In April, the Israeli army revealed that it had uncovered a tunnel crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel, the first to be found since Israel's devastating military offensive on the coastal enclave in 2014.
There have been reports in recent months that Hamas has expanded its tunnel network -- used mainly for military purposes in the northern Gaza Strip and smuggling in the south -- since Israel's 2014 offensive on Gaza left much of it destroyed.
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of "preparing" for another war with Israel and have threatened retaliatory measures against the Gaza Strip as a whole. However, despite Hamas' inflammatory rhetoric against Israel, the movement has not officially claimed responsibility for any military action from Gaza against Israel since the 2014 war.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the army said the tunnel was located after it detained a Hamas operative, which it identified as 29-year-old Jabalia resident Mahmoud Atuna, in April after he reportedly crossed into Israel.
“Following combined efforts of intelligence and ground forces, the IDF (Israeli army) has uncovered an additional offensive tunnel adjacent to the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip,” the army said in a statement.
“No one should be living in fear of being attacked in their home by terrorists infiltrating from underground,” the statement quoted spokesman Peter Lerner as saying. “The IDF is determined to maintain the safety and stability of the area and will continue to use all means necessary to target Hamas’ terror activities.”
The Israeli army said Atuna was part of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, and confessed to having planned to attack Israeli soldiers when he was detained.
Atuna gave the Israeli army “detailed information regarding tunnel trajectory in the northern Gaza Strip, Hamas’ construction methods, and how Hamas utilized private homes and public institutions to hide the tunnels,” the army statement said.
The statement added that Atuna also named a number of fellow Hamas members, and that an indictment has been filed against him in the Beer Sheba court.
Hamas has yet to publicly comment on Atuna or the tunnel uncovered on Thursday.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that the tunnel “appeared to be crossing into Israeli territory,” but that the information had yet to be confirmed by Israeli forces were on the ground. She added that the tunnel had not been uncovered by Israeli airstrikes which took place in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night.
Earlier on Thursday morning, eyewitnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces were leveling land near the southern Gaza border east of Rafah City with two Israeli bulldozers and three military trench diggers and proceeded to level and dig a tract of land. The army spokesperson said she could not confirm whether this report was linked to the search for the tunnel.
The discovery of the tunnel came as Israeli forces launched a series of airstrikes and shellings across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Thursday, in response to several mortars fired from the Palestinian territory at Israeli soldiers.
In April, the Israeli army revealed that it had uncovered a tunnel crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel, the first to be found since Israel's devastating military offensive on the coastal enclave in 2014.
There have been reports in recent months that Hamas has expanded its tunnel network -- used mainly for military purposes in the northern Gaza Strip and smuggling in the south -- since Israel's 2014 offensive on Gaza left much of it destroyed.
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of "preparing" for another war with Israel and have threatened retaliatory measures against the Gaza Strip as a whole. However, despite Hamas' inflammatory rhetoric against Israel, the movement has not officially claimed responsibility for any military action from Gaza against Israel since the 2014 war.
25 apr 2016
International organizations in the Gaza Strip received a cement delivery on Saturday, while a suspension on cement imports for the private sector was still being enforced by Israeli authorities.
Head of the Palestinian Contractors Union Osama Kahil told Ma’an that 2,000 tons of cement entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Saturday, and he expected further cement deliveries to enter in the coming week due to efforts by the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The shipments of cement would allow reconstruction efforts by international organizations to continue in the besieged coastal enclave, and return jobs to 40,000 construction workers who have been out of work since the last cement delivery, Kahil said.
Reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip have also been “expanded to include Turkish, German, and American plans in addition to the UN and Qatari plans of reconstruction,” Kahil added.
He assured efforts by the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh were ongoing to continue the flow of cement through Kerem Shalom.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) told Ma’an that the suspension of construction materials entering the Gaza Strip was still being enforced due to “exploitation of construction materials by Hamas,” and that the ban would still be in place “until the issue is addressed.”
They added that the suspension only affected the private sector, and that entry for international projects was proceeding as usual.
Saturday’s delivery comes one week after it was revealed Israeli forces uncovered and destroyed a tunnel passing from the Gaza Strip into Israel, once a gag order by Israel’s government was lifted on its discovery.
The tunnel -- the first to be found since Israel's devastating military offensive on the coastal enclave in 2014 -- was reportedly discovered one week prior to the publication of the incident, around the time Israel suspended delivery of cement into the Gaza Strip.
Israeli authorities have previously accused the Gaza Strip's de facto ruling party Hamas of stealing reconstruction material to sell on the black market and use to build tunnels.
Reconstruction efforts following the the 50-day war have been painfully slow -- hindered by Israel's blockade, ongoing disputes between Gaza's de facto leaders Hamas and the Fatah-dominated PA, and a severe shortage of foreign assistance.
Head of the Palestinian Contractors Union Osama Kahil told Ma’an that 2,000 tons of cement entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Saturday, and he expected further cement deliveries to enter in the coming week due to efforts by the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The shipments of cement would allow reconstruction efforts by international organizations to continue in the besieged coastal enclave, and return jobs to 40,000 construction workers who have been out of work since the last cement delivery, Kahil said.
Reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip have also been “expanded to include Turkish, German, and American plans in addition to the UN and Qatari plans of reconstruction,” Kahil added.
He assured efforts by the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh were ongoing to continue the flow of cement through Kerem Shalom.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) told Ma’an that the suspension of construction materials entering the Gaza Strip was still being enforced due to “exploitation of construction materials by Hamas,” and that the ban would still be in place “until the issue is addressed.”
They added that the suspension only affected the private sector, and that entry for international projects was proceeding as usual.
Saturday’s delivery comes one week after it was revealed Israeli forces uncovered and destroyed a tunnel passing from the Gaza Strip into Israel, once a gag order by Israel’s government was lifted on its discovery.
The tunnel -- the first to be found since Israel's devastating military offensive on the coastal enclave in 2014 -- was reportedly discovered one week prior to the publication of the incident, around the time Israel suspended delivery of cement into the Gaza Strip.
Israeli authorities have previously accused the Gaza Strip's de facto ruling party Hamas of stealing reconstruction material to sell on the black market and use to build tunnels.
Reconstruction efforts following the the 50-day war have been painfully slow -- hindered by Israel's blockade, ongoing disputes between Gaza's de facto leaders Hamas and the Fatah-dominated PA, and a severe shortage of foreign assistance.
