Shipments to the Gaza Strip of cement ostensibly to be used for authorized, private building projects, have been halted by Israel which claims the cement is being diverted by Hamas for its use. Building materials intended for large international projects will not be affected, according to a statement released by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) – the Israeli army’s bureaucratic arm that oversees what enters and leaves the Gaza Strip. Although Israel has cooperated with the international community’s efforts to help re-build Gaza following the devastation left in the wake of Israel’s ground invasion in 2014, it is known that the Hamas terrorist organization which rules the Gaza Strip has its own massive program of building tunnels beneath Gaza and into Israeli territory that will be used for staging terrorist attacks on Israeli targets — tunnels that require tremendous quantities of cement and other building materials. Hamas also figures prominently in talks between Israel and Turkey that are said to be nearing completion and might be concluded when negotiators meet on Thursday. The key issue is said to be Israel’s demand that Turkey cut-off Hamas activity, particularly in Istanbul where Hamas operates a military headquarters. For its part, Turkey is demanding that Israel ease the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
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