![A view of a power plant in Gaza City as it restarted to energy production after Hamas and Israel agreed to reduce the escalation of conflict in the blockaded Gaza Strip, in Gaza City, Gaza on September 1, 2020. After Israel opened the Karem Abu Salem Gaza border crossing, the shipment of fuel to the Gaza Strip started [Ali Jadallah - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Israel-opens-Karem-Abu-Salem-border-crossing_6.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
The Palestinian government has called on the international community to put pressure on Israel to reopen the Karem Abu Salem crossing for commercial goods, and reverse the decision to suspend exports from the besieged enclave, Anadolu has reported. The crossing is the only outlet for Gaza to export produce.
The Israeli authorities suspended all exports from the besieged Gaza Strip as of Tuesday, until further notice, under the pretext of an attempt to “smuggle explosive materials” through the crossing. “During a security check of three trucks loaded with goods coming from the Gaza Strip, high-quality explosive materials weighing a few kilograms were found hidden inside clothes bearing international fashion brands,” claimed the Israeli army.
The Palestinian Minister of National Economy, Khaled Asili, called yesterday on the international community to “put pressure on the Israeli occupation government to cancel the collective punishment of preventing the marketing of Gaza Strip products in the West Bank after it closed the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing, the only outlet available for the Strip.”
Asili described the Israeli decision as “unjust” which “adds to the collective punishment policy pursued by the Israeli occupation government since 2007.”
In this context, the Palestinian minister pointed out that the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip “has caused a profound humanitarian and economic crisis.”
The minister held the Israeli government responsible for “the repercussions of this decision, which inflicts heavy losses on the private sector and its various components, and deprives merchants, farmers and manufacturers of the ability to market their products, disrupting production and employment.”
Karam Abu Salem is the only commercial crossing into Gaza, through which construction materials, goods, fuel and foodstuffs that the Strip needs are brought in. Its closure is a major blow to the Palestinians in Gaza.
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