
Jul 4, 2008 6:00 am US/Mountain
Israel Closes Gaza Border Crossings
JERUSALEM (AP) ―
Israel says it is keeping Gaza's border crossings closed in retaliation for a rocket attack.
Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner says all cargo passages remained shut Friday morning. He says the decision came Thursday after Palestinians fired a rocket toward Israel. No injuries were reported.
The rockets and closure are violations of a June 19 cease-fire. Since then, the army says 11 rockets and mortars have been fired toward Israel.
The cargo crossings have been closed for a total of seven days, including Friday.
Israel imposed a blockade on the territory of 1.4 million Palestinians a year ago, after Hamas overran Gaza. Only food and medicine have been allowed in and Palestinians report severe shortages in everything from gasoline to cement and shoes.
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