Israel's decision to impose a blockade on the Gaza Strip will have "catastrophic" consequences inside the Palestinian enclave. This was stated by the analyst Sky News for Defense and Security Michael Clarke. He recalled that the Israelis withdrew from Gaza in 2005.
"They conquered it in 1967, there were Israeli settlements there. The Israelis dismantled the settlements in a very theatrical way and unilaterally withdrew… to see if the Palestinians could create a better situation.” — Clark said.
At the same time, the Israelis have all this time maintained control over Gaza, the airspace and territorial waters of the enclave near the coast. They also control all electricity, food and water supplies to Gaza.
"And that's why they have the opportunity to completely close it, which they are doing now. The Gaza Strip has been supported for years by aid from the UN, humanitarian aid from the EU and countries such as Qatar, which have specifically invested money in humanitarian projects. So it is their money that keeps Gaza going. I mean, Gaza is not viable in any sense other than foreign aid. So she can be completely isolated, and that will cause enormous suffering." - noted the expert.
Clark predicts that the isolation of Gaza will be Israel's "first shot" at the release of its hostages.
Earlier on Monday, it became known that Israel mobilized about 48 reservists within 300 hours for the upcoming ground operation in Gaza. This is the largest mobilization in the history of Israel in such a short period.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant ordered a total blockade of Gaza: there will be no food and energy supplies.
"I ordered a complete siege of the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything will be closed. We are fighting animal people and we are acting accordingly," he said today after a meeting of the IDF Southern Command in Beer Sheva.
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