Israel halts cement imports into Gaza: UN
Date
4/4/2016 11:07:47 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The UN Middle East peace envoy Nikolay Mladenov. AFP: Haidar Hamdani
United Nations: Israel has told the United Nations that it will suspend private imports of cement in Gaza after some of the supplies were allegedly diverted a UN spokesman said Monday.
UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov is working with Israeli and Palestinian authorities to try to resolve the issue.
"Anyone who seeks to gain by deviating construction material in Gaza is stealing from its own people and adding to the suffering of the people of Gaza" Mladenov said.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the decision could lead to further halts of imports to the Gaza Strip which is ruled by the Palestinian Hamas militant group.
An Israeli blockade severely restricts the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory and Egypt's sole border with Gaza has also remained largely closed since 2013.
AFP