‘Israel obstructing efforts to stabilise ceasefire’

Palestinians release balloons carrying portraits of victims of Israeli airstrikes during a protest against the blockade on Gaza. Pic/AFP

Palestine has accused Israel of obstructing the efforts to stabilise the Egypt-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by tightening the blockade.

In a statement on Saturday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that more than two million people in the Gaza Strip "pay heavy prices due to the endless Israeli blockade which ruined their daily living", reports Xinhua news agency. "The Israeli blockade has led to sabotaging the lives of the Palestinian citizens and declining the level of basic services provided, under the pressure of Israeli delay and extortion," the statement said.

Israel has been imposing a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip right after the Islamic Hamas Movement seized control of the coastal enclave in 2007. Israel tightened the blockade during the 11-day fighting with Hamas-led militant groups, which ended on May 21 and left over 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.

250
No. of Palestinians who died in the fighting

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