Israel declares Gaza an 'enemy entity'
Israel's Security Cabinet voted Wednesday to declare the militant Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip an "enemy entity" and enacted a number of sanctions.
The move came as a result of a barrage of rocket attacks from the strip, highlighted by one last week in which more than 60 Israeli military trainees were wounded in an attack on a training base in Zikim, Ynetnews.com reported.
Among the sanctions approved by the Cabinet was reducing the fuel supply to a bare minimum, the Haaretz newspaper reported. Only essential food and medical supplies would be permitted to enter the strip and electricity will also be reduced, the report said.
After discussing international law, the ministers decided against curtailing the water supply as it would be seen as collective punishment against civilians, the report said.
Both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak said there were no plans to launch a military offensive in Gaza, Ynetnews said.
// Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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