BICOM

The Kerem Shalom crossing has been closed to all commercial goods into and out of the Gaza Strip in response to firebombs attacks flown into Israel, but humanitarian aid, food and medicine shipments will be unaffected.

Since 30 March, flying firebombs from Gaza have caused more than 850 fires, and thousands of acres of forests and agricultural crops have been destroyed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the border closure as a response at a weekly meeting of his Likud party yesterday.

Netanyahu said: “As for Gaza, I told you a while back that I do not intend to announce in advance all of the steps that we have been doing or planning, but having consulted with the defence minister, we will get tougher on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, immediately. In a significant step, we will close the Kerem Shalom crossing today. There will be further measures, about which I will not elaborate.”

An Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson said that if the “phenomenon continues, these steps will continue and even get worse”.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told his Yisrael Beiteinu party: “Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of Operation Protective Edge, and I want to make it clear to the leaders of Hamas in Gaza, first and foremost: no one is daunted by [threats] of escalation or a broad clash. We are not out to have a clash or a military adventure, but the manner in which that Hamas has been conducting itself is simply making things worse and [Hamas] is liable to pay the full price — a far higher price than in Operation Protective Edge.”

In response, Hamas accused Israel of a “new crime against humanity”.

A Hamas spokesperson said: “The silence of the world and the region about the crime of the 12-year-old blockade over Gaza encourages the Israeli enemy to proceed with its actions, which contradict humanitarian and international law. Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a similar statement claiming that increasing the siege over Gaza constitutes a declaration of war”.

The Kerem Shalom crossing was subject to an arson attack on three occasions in the last two months. In addition to the border closure, the IDF also said it is ending the temporary extension of the Gaza fishing zone, which had allowed fisherman up to nine miles from the coast. It will now revert to a six-mile zone.