Lieberman: There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday claimed that there is no crisis in the Gaza Strip, blaming the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas for the hardships in the besieged enclave, Arab48 reported.

“The situation in Gaza is indeed difficult, and it needs to be taken care of, but there is no humanitarian crisis,” Lieberman claimed in response to concerns raised over water and electricity shortages.

Ignoring reports by Palestinian NGOs and the international bodies about the crisis in Gaza, Lieberman said: “Only the Coordinator of Israeli Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Yoav Mordechai, can determine whether there is a humanitarian crisis in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip.”

Gaza: Healthcare sector on brink of collapse

Lieberman blamed Hamas for the deteriorating situation in Gaza, claiming that it “spent $260 million in 2017 on rocket manufacturing and tunnel digging. Some $100 million of which came from Iran, and the rest came from tax collection inside the Strip and donations from various places.”

He accused Hamas of being unwilling to pay “even one shekel toward the water, electricity, health or education systems in the Strip,” but claimed that “Hamas is willing to sacrifice all of Gaza’s residents for weapons.”

The extremist minister also said: “If anyone suggests we take money from the Israeli taxpayer and divert it to the Gaza Strip, he is mistaken. I will not have one penny from the Israeli taxpayer going to the Strip. There are enough rich Arab countries.”