Israel announces ‘closed military zone’ near Gaza border

Palestinians hold rescue operations after Israel destroyed a cross-border tunnel linking the blockaded Gaza Strip to Israeli territory on 3 November 2017 [Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency]

The Israeli occupation authorities announced on Wednesday that the area near the border of the Gaza Strip is now a “closed military zone”, Quds Press has reported. Israeli citizens are now forbidden from approaching or entering the zone.

The decision was taken because Israel is afraid of surprise attacks by Palestinians following its bombing of a tunnel which killed 12 Palestinians on 30 October. Immediately after the bombing, Israel declared the area to be a closed military zone, but on 5 November, that decision was rescinded.

No details have been given about why the Commander of Southern District in the Israeli Army, Major General Eyal Zamir, has announced that the area is again a closed military zone.

Palestinian civil defence teams recovered the bodies of seven Palestinians from the bombed tunnel and revealed that the Israelis had denied them access to search for the other victims. Their bodies were pulled out by the Israelis at a later stage.

Read: Death toll from Israel strike on Gaza tunnel rises to 12

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