‘No electricity, no food, no water, no gas’ for Gazans, says Israel

Jerusalem, Occupied Palestinian Territories — AFP

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip as the military pounded the Palestinian territory with air strikes.

“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza… No electricity, no food, no water, no gas — it’s all closed,” Gallant said in a video message, referring to the enclave that is overcrowded with 2.3 million people.

At least 700 people were killed in southern Israel when Hamas resistance fighters stormed across the border on Saturday in retaliation to recent stormings of Al Aqsa mosque and increasing settler violence in recent days.

Since then, Israel- emboldened by its Western allies- has responded with full military force against what has often been described as the world’s largest ‘open air prison.’

An estimated 250 people were killed by Hamas gunmen at a rave party attended by young Israelis and foreigners near Kibbutz Reim, close to Gaza, according to an organisation that helped to recover the bodies.

“We are fighting animals and are acting accordingly,” Gallant said in Hebrew.

At least 493 people have also been killed in the Gaza Strip after Israeli military launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas attack.