Hamas Refusing to let 'Badly needed' Humanitarian Supplies Into Gaza

It appears the Israelis were right - not only were the supplies improperly packed and manifested in a way that would have precluded them being unloaded at any port, but they included stuff that wasn't even needed in Gaza.

At least, that's how Hamas apparently feels:

Hamas authorities on Tuesday refused to receive aid and supplies to the Gaza Strip through Israel, stressing that Israel must first free pro-Palestinian campaigners who were onboard an aid flotilla.

Israel can send aid that Gaza flotilla had carried to the coastal enclave "only if the shipments are complete and when Israel release all activists who were onboard the ships, Ziad Al- Zaza, Hamas' Minister of Economy, told Xinhua.

"The priority is to release the detained activists," Al-Zaza added.

On Monday, the Israeli navy stopped five of the vessels that were en route to Gaza to defy a three-year-old Israeli blockade, killing nine international activists and forcing the ships that carried 10,000 tons of aid into its sea ports.

Today, Israel allowed part of the aid, which originally included construction materials and medical supplies, to Gaza through one of its land crossing points, but Hamas refused to let that shipment in, witnesses told Xinhua.

Since the blockade was imposed to isolate Hamas, Israel has allowed food and medicine supplies into Gaza, but building and raw materials are banned.

Yup. They're simply starving to death, aren't they?

The part the Israelis didn't let in were banned construction material that would be used to construct fortifications and bunkers by Hamas.

The Jerusalem Post's ace reporter Khalid Abu Toamah has more here

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