JERUSALEM, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday vowed to continue the reduction of power and fuel supplies to Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, local media reported.
Israel will continue to limit supplies of power and fuel to Gaza due to the ongoing Qassam rocket attacks, Olmert was quoted as saying at the beginning of a weekly cabinet meeting.
“This isn’t always popular, but it makes it more difficult for terrorist organizations to operate,” Olmert told the cabinet meeting.
He vowed that Israel would continue combating terrorism in southern Israel and will not cease until life returns to normal in the area.
“A war is going on in the south almost every day. Terrorist leaders are part of the war and we will not ease up on them and we won’t stop the war until life for southern residents returns to normal,” Olmert said.
The prime minister announced that the government would grant approval next week to a plan to fortify all homes within 4.5 kilometers of the Gaza Strip against Qassam rockets.
“We will prioritize the fortifications based on the homes’ proximity to the areas from which (the rockets are) fired, and the level of the threat posed to residents,” Olmert said.
Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza last month after a sharp rise in rocket attacks by Palestinian militants based there.
The restrictions prompted militants from the Islamist movement Hamas, which controls Gaza, to blast holes in the border with Egypt on Jan. 23 and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had taken the opportunity to cross into Egypt and obtain essential supplies.
The breaches were sealed by Egyptian security forces early in February.