Gaza strip closed again

– Israel yesterday closed its only crossing for people with the Gaza Strip, except for humanitarian cases, after weekend border clashes – the latest tightening of its blockade on the Palestinian enclave despite truce efforts.

The move could prevent Gazans from travelling via the crossing for this week’s Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which runs from tonight until Thursday night, but Israeli officials did not say how long the closure would last.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement the closure was due to “violent incidents on the border last Friday”.

The Palestinian Authority civilian affairs office in the Gaza Strip also confirmed the closure, except for medical cases and Palestinians seeking to cross back into the enclave.

Border protests and clashes on Friday saw two Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire.

Israel’s army said firebombs and improvised explosive devices were also hurled at the border fence, while a number of Palestinians briefly crossed into Israeli territory. No Israelis were reported wounded.

The closure and border incidents occurred despite attempts by Egypt and UN officials to reach a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Israel had just last week reopened its only goods crossing with Gaza after closing it to most deliveries for more than a month over border tensions.

Gaza’s only other border is with Egypt but the Rafah crossing with the enclave had largely been kept closed in recent years. Cairo opened it in mid-May and it has mostly remained so since.

Protests and clashes began on the Gaza border on March 30 and have continued at varying levels since then.

At least 171 Gazans have been killed by Israeli fire during that time. One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper in July.

There have also been several severe military flare-ups, including three since July.

The latest was on August 9, when Israel responded to 180 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza with widespread air strikes.

Israel is demanding the remains of two soldiers Hamas is believed to be holding.

Two Israeli civilians, both said to be mentally unstable, are also believed to have entered Gaza and to be held by Hamas. Israel is also seeking their return. –