Israel has been imposing a complete commercial closure on the Gaza Strip for the sixth day in a row, keeping the only functioning crossing sealed off before goods, the Palestinians said Monday, Xinhua reported.
Ra'd Fatouh, a Palestinian liaison officer, said that Israel cited security concerns when it informed the Palestinian side of the closure on Wednesday. The security reasons were not specific, he added.
Kerem Shalom is the only crossing Israel uses to deliver goods, mainly food and consumer products, to the Gaza Strip. Earlier this year, it shut Karni crossing, which the Palestinians said had bigger capacity than Kerem Shalom.
Before Israel imposed a near-total siege on Gaza when Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, there had been four commercial crossings allowing the flow of goods in two directions.
The economy ministry of Hamas warned that amounts of basic materials entering Gaza would shrink if the closure continue.
The Palestinians also say the closure caused severe shortage in cooking gas.
Israel relaxed the blockade in June 2010 to reduce international criticism after its commandos killed nine pro- Palestinian Turks on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza.
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