Israeli defense minister shuts off Gaza fuel supply as violence rages

Following an infiltration in which 20 Palestinians breached the Israeli border, Lieberman cut fuel supplies to Gaza “as long as the violence does not stop.”

By: Benjamin Kerstein, The Algemeiner

Following an infiltration attempt in which 20 Palestinians succeeded in breaching the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that all fuel supplies Israel provides the coastal enclave will cease immediately.

“As long as the violence in the Gaza Strip does not stop completely, including the sending of incendiary balloons and burning tires toward the Israeli towns, the fuel and gas supplies to the Gaza Strip will not be replenished,” Lieberman wrote on Twitter Saturday evening, Israel’s Channel Two reported.

The infiltration occurred on Friday as 14,000 Palestinians rioted in several places along the border fence as part of the ongoing “march of return.” Terrorists succeeded in placing an explosive device that blew a hole in the fence, allowing around 20 Palestinians to reach Israeli territory.

The IDF opened fire and most of the infiltrators fled back to Gaza. However, four of them headed for an IDF sniper position. Three were killed by IDF fire and the last succeeded in crossing back over the border.

Several other infiltration attempts was apparently foiled on Saturday, with the IDF Spokesperson’s Office saying that a number of suspects were tracked and arrested trying to cross the fence at several points along the border.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh pledged that the border violence would continue, saying, “Woe to you if you stop the march of return before the siege is lifted. Our march is not for diesel and dollars, but it is our people’s natural right.”

Yahya Sinwar, Haniyeh’s superior in the organization, explicitly stated several months ago that the goal of the march was to murder Israelis and conquer the entirety of the Jewish state, saying that rioters “will uproot the borders, we will pluck out their hearts, and we will pray in Jerusalem.”