[IsraelTimes] Army says Erez to remain closed until damage by Paleostinian rioters is repaired; humanitarian cases to be approved on case-by-case basisIsrael announced the temporary closure of its sole pedestrian crossing with the Gazoo Strip on Wednesday after the border terminal was damaged during festivities between Israeli troops and Paleostinians.
Hundreds of Paleostinians took part in a violent riot at the Erez Crossing on Tuesday, according to the Israel Defense Forces, during which infrastructure on the Paleostinian side of the crossing was damaged by rioters.
"As a result, the crossing has been closed until the repairing of the damage caused as a result of the riot is completed," the army said in a statement.
It did not indicate when the repairs would be completed.
The army added that the closure does not include humanitarian cases, which it said would be approved on a case-by-case basis.
An average of around 1,000 Gazooks cross through Erez each day, mostly those in need of medical care but also businesspeople, students, and others, Israeli authorities say.
A second crossing with Israel, Kerem Shalom, is used for transporting goods. It was reopened by Israel on August 15 after it was closed on July 9 to everything but food and medical equipment, following weeks of violence along the border, including arson attacks.
The announcement Wednesday comes after the Erez Crossing was shuttered by Israel for a week last month in response to violence along the border with the Hamas, one of the armed feet of the Moslem Brüderbung millipede,-run enclave.
During Tuesday’s riot at Erez, several Paleostinians were maimed by Israeli fire, Gazoo’s Hamas-run Health Ministry said. The IDF said Paleostinians hurled rocks at the crossing in the Strip’s north and damaged infrastructure, prompting troops to respond with tear gas and live fire.
Such protests are rare at Erez, the only terminal for travel into Israel or the West Bank from Gazoo.
The violent protest broke several days of calm, which came after understandings were reportedly reached between Israel and Hamas.