Israel seals off Palestinian territories for Passover

Israel has closed off the West Bank and Gaza for at least a week for the Jewish Passover holiday.

The move came a day after Gaza militants attacked a vital crossing, raising the possibility of a large-scale Israeli offensive within weeks.

The closure, which began early today, will be in effect until the end of the holiday on April 26, according to the military. Palestinians are banned from entering Israel, except for humanitarian cases, doctors and lawyers.

“The (military) regards the holiday period as a highly sensitive time, security wise,” the military statement said. The military “will increase its alertness … while preserving, to the best of its ability, the daily life of the Palestinian population”, it said, while promising to continue transferring vital goods through the Gaza crossings.

However, as the statement was released last night, two of the main crossings were closed: Kerem Shalom, where Israel trans-ships food and medicine, and the fuel depot at Nahal Oz – because of attacks by Palestinian militants.

Israeli troops fended off Palestinian gunmen who assaulted Kerem Shalom yesterday, killing one, and then militants opened fire again at Nahal Oz.

The renewed violence followed a day of fighting between Israeli forces and Gaza militants that killed three Israeli soldiers and 21 Palestinians, including five children and a news cameraman.

Gazans are angry over a nearly year-long blockade of their borders, causing shortages in almost all commodities in the seaside territory, and Israel generally halts all shipments after attacks like yesterday’s.

Some analysts believe the militant group Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since a bloody takeover last June, is trying to provoke an even worse situation for the territory’s people to increase international pressure on Israel to relax the blockade.

With Egyptian efforts to mediate a Gaza ceasefire sputtering, Hamas has repeatedly threatened to violently break through the Israeli border. The group blew up the wall along Gaza’s border with Egypt in January.

Israel has greatly restricted the flow of fuel and goods into Gaza because of repeated rocket attacks by Gaza militants on southern Israel. Israel labels Hamas, a militant Islamic group committed to destruction of the Jewish state, a terrorist group.

Gaza militants consider the border crossings humiliating symbols of the economic blockade.