Israel once again bans import of cement to Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett yesterday stopped cement entering the besieged Gaza Strip and cancelled entry permits issued to hundreds of Gaza traders, Safa news agency reported.

Reporting the Israeli Hebrew newspaper Maariv, Safa said that Bennett ordered the coordinator of the civil affairs in the occupied territories to carry out his directions immediately.

The Gaza Strip has been under a strict Israeli siege for 13 years, which limits the entry of basic essentials including water, fuel and building materials. In 2012 the UN warned that the costal enclave would become “uninhabitable” by 2020 as a result of the strict measures.

Last week Israel allowed cement to enter the Strip without UN observation to be used for tilling and finishing construction projects, not the type used in building roofs and walls.

READ: Israeli airstrikes target northern Gaza Strip