The Israeli authorities temporarily interrupted the supply of fuel to the Gaza Strip in connection with the continuing attacks from the territory of the Palestinian enclave, closing the Kerem Shalom checkpoint - the only cargo crossing on the border with the Gaza Strip - for gas and fuel. The decision was made in coordination with the army command and is valid until July 22, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday, July 17.

Humanitarian supplies, including medicines and food, will be passed to the Gaza Strip after the approval of supplies on an individual basis. In addition, Israel again reduced the fishing zone for the Gaza Strip in the Mediterranean Sea from six to three nautical miles (in terms of more than 11 km to less than 6 km).

The radical Palestinian movement Hamas called the decision of the Israeli authorities "a crime against humanity," threatening "dangerous consequences," writes DW.

According to KNA, Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border post on the same day. The decision was made for technical reasons, indicated below..

Over the past day, Palestinians have released from the Gaza Strip in Israel, almost 200 missiles and mines. In addition, militants continue to send balloons with incendiary mixtures and explosive devices to Israel, causing major fires in the south of the country.

On July 15, Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip attacked Israel, using 100 rockets and mortars, wounding three people in the city of Sderot. The Israeli army responded with the most powerful air strikes since 2014 on the goals of the Hamas movement.

The situation in the region has escalated since the end of March, when mass protests of Palestinians, organized by the Islamist movement, began on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. In the clashes of protesters with the Israeli military killed 140 Palestinians. From the end of May, Hamas launched rocket attacks on Israel.