Gaza’s Hamas rulers announce their security forces are in full control of the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.
In a statement, Gaza Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozm says Hamas security forces are carrying out “necessary security measures” at the crossing “especially after the recent events in the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas says PA border employees have “refused to cooperate” with the new measures, and claims they left their posts at the crossing voluntarily.
However, the official PA news outlet says Hamas “expelled” PA border guards and “banned them from entering the crossing.”
Hamas, an Islamist terrorist group sworn to Israel’s destruction, has controlled Gaza since ousting the Fatah-dominated PA in 2007. However, employees of the Ramallah-based PA government have continued to coordinate the entry of goods into the Strip through Kerem Shalom.
The announcement comes a day after Hamas reportedly said its security forces seized a shipment of army boots outfitted with tracking devices at Kerem Shalom.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, February 17, 2019
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