Following a series of Palestinian rockets fired into Israeli airspace, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has ordered a complete siege of the Gaza strip in an effort to contain conflict with the Hamas ruling government.
The order for the siege was announced on Tuesday, Gantz warned that if militant Islamic group, Hamas, did not stop the rockets, that Israel would “respond strongly, recurrently and continuously.”
“The military is ready for any activity that might be necessary – with an emphasis on prevention,” Gantz said in a statement on Monday.
The enforcement of the siege comes as the conflict between Hamas and Israel enter their third day. This is also the longest duration that Israel and Hamas have gone without major exchange of airstrikes since 2014.
Hamas have continued to launch more rockets into Israel since Monday and at least one Israeli life has been lost in the attack; many more have been injured. In retaliation, Israeli Defense Forces have bombed close to 200 sites in the Gaza strip including the office building of Hamas’ leader Yahya Sinwar, a private residence of a senior leader of Hamas’ military wing and an underground tunnel-building laboratory.
The siege, according to reports, would control the entry and exit of goods into the Gaza strip. This would include food, fuel, medical and educational supplies, and other basic necessities. In addition, restrictions have been imposed on both air and sea travel in the area, a measure that could potentially deepen suffering among Palestinians in the besieged strip.
Gantz stated that the move is meant to “weaken Hamas’s terrorist and political leadership so that a new reality can be created for the people of the Gaza Strip.” This implies that Israel primarily seeks to pressure Hamas into agreeing to a lasting ceasefire.
Hamas has so far rejected any ceasefire talks. The conflict is certain to continue to escalate on both sides, and only time will tell if the siege of the Gaza Strip will prove effective in bringing about a cessation of hostilities.
