With Blockade Eased, Building Materials Enter Gaza

[Purveyor]

Thousands of tons of building materials, such as cement and steel, began crossing into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said, as Israel eased its five-year-old blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory.

Israel agreed to ease the blockade on Gaza under terms of a cease-fire that ended eight days of fierce fighting with Hamas last month, reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger.

Trucks carrying gravel for private construction entered Gaza from Israel for the first time since Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory.

Israel says 300 truckloads of goods are now entering Gaza each day.

The director of Gaza's border authority, Maher Abu Sabha, confirmed to The Associated Press that Qatar is paying for the raw materials that were bought in Egypt, to be transported through the Rafah border crossing.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57561274/with-blockade-eased-building-materials-enter-gaza/

[julian09]

1. Isreal will need the materials for the new settlements.

[bunnies]

2. Beat me to it. nt

[oberliner]

4. Except there are no settlements in Gaza

Haven't been for years.

[King_David]

3. Bet you never knew there's no Israeli settlements in Gaza

They evacuated a long time ago..

[holdencaufield]

5. I'm confused ...

... many on this board have argued that it is impossible to bring materials through the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt because it was unsuitable to trucks ... has something changed?

[Scootaloo]

6. Who said it was "impossible"?

Of course it's not impossible... but the Rafah crossing isn't very suited for high-volume traffic;
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aDCvQA2s0xg/S8nPJosItLI/AAAAAAAAAS0/AxZDtXWvUxM/s1600/Rafah+border+crossing,+Egyptian+side+-+the+%27prohibited%27+gate.jpg

There are two ports; one entrance, one egress, both are single-lane. Of course you can get trucks in there... in single-file. Which would effectively close the crossing to non-pedestrian traffic. Plus each has to undergo the proper inspections and such...

"Impossible" is hyperbolic, but shipment through the Rafah crossing has clear logistics issues; Perhaps a joint Egyptian / Palestinian venture would be to add two additional shipping-specific ports and expand the roads in either direction as necessary.

[Recursion]

7. Maybe they've run out of buildings to flatten? (nt)

[King_David]

8. What can Israel do , ever, to get a little encouragement ?

Anything? Ever ?

LOL

[Recursion]

9. Does Israel care what I think?

If what I thought mattered, maybe I'd be more positive?

[King_David]

10. Very True..well said.