Gaza cement deliveries resume after Israel lifts ban

Private cement deliveries to the Gaza Strip resumed on Monday after Israel lifted a nearly two-month ban, imposed over the alleged diversion of materials by an official in the Palestinian territory.

Israel imposed the ban in early April in the territory run by Islamist terror movement Hamas, which is still rebuilding after a devastating 2014 war.

Raed Fattouh, who oversees the entry of goods into the Gaza Strip, said private deliveries had resumed for the first time since April 3.

“We are expecting 90 trucks transporting around 3,200 tonnes of cement, in compliance with the mechanism put in place by the UN, and deliveries will continue every day of the week,” he said.

Israel said late Sunday it was lifting the ban “in accordance with the security assessment and the understandings reached with the international community.”

Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories halted the import of cement and other building materials at the beginning of April after an undisclosed amount of cement intended for the rebuilding effort of the beleaguered Strip was “taken by Imad al-Baz, deputy director of Hamas’s Economic Ministry,” the Defense Ministry body said on its Arabic Facebook page at the time.

Al-Baz has denied the allegation.

One of Israel’s main concerns in the reconstruction effort of the Gaza Strip has long been that materials being brought into the coastal enclave will be employed to create tunnels and other infrastructure that can be used against the Israel Defense Forces in a future conflict with Hamas.

Since April, Israel found and destroyed two Hamas tunnels, reinforced with concrete, running under the border into Israel, setting off a violent cross-border flareup for several days earlier this month.

Similar tunnels have been used in the past by Hamas to launch attacks on soldiers inside Israel territory.

Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008. Hamas is openly committed to destroying Israel.

The information about al-Baz’s alleged actions came to light via international actors taking part in the reconstruction effort in Gaza, COGAT said in April.

The move to freeze some imports in April caused a shutdown in construction in the Gaza Strip and raised the unemployment rate as well as the cost of cement.

UN officials point out that cement deliveries are vital to Gaza’s reconstruction and have pushed for the ban to be lifted.

Nickolay Mladenov, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, welcomed Israel’s decision to lift the ban.

“It is critical for the security of both Palestinians and Israelis that Gaza remains calm and hope is restored to its people,” he said.