Barak to Polish PM: We hold Hamas responsible for attack

Terror victims organization: "Instead of the Palestinians paying us for fuel that we provide them, we pay them with our blood."

By ELIE LESHEM, YAAKOV KATZ, JPOST.COM STAFF
Barak Im gonna kill you! (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Barak Im gonna kill you!
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Israel holds Hamas responsible for the terror attack at the Nahal Oz fuel depot which killed two Israeli civilians, Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a phone conversation Wednesday evening. Hamas will be made to pay the price for the attack, Barak added. "Israel considers the ruling Hamas in the Gaza Strip the sole party responsible for today's terror attack at the Nahal Oz Terminal. Hamas bears responsibility and will also bear the consequences," the Foreign Ministry announced earlier Wednesday. "This terror attack proves once more that not only do the terrorists in the Gaza Strip target Israelis, but they also try to harm the civilian infrastructure that enables normal life in Gaza," the statement continued. "Anyone with eyes can see that the objective of the terrorists is to kill as many Israelis as possible and undermine any expression of coexistence between Israel and Palestinians." "Israel transfers food, fuel, medicine, supplies and humanitarian aid to the residents of the Strip on a daily basis, and the terrorists who attacked the Nahal Oz Crossing today are trying to sabotage this activity. In doing so are mainly damaging their own lives and the wellbeing of the residents of the Strip. Israel will know how to defend itself and will act against the terror organizations and their operatives while simultaneously maintaining its efforts in order to avert a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip," the statement concluded. Government spokesman Mark Regev said Gaza's Hamas rulers are "responsible and will be held accountable." "Once again Israeli citizens pay with their lives and their blood- because of the easing of restrictions for the 'well-being' of the Palestinians," NU/NRP MK Uri Ariel said. "Fuel is being shipped to the PA through the border crossing at Nahal Oz which is used to launch Kassam rockets," Ariel continued, "and instead of blocking the Gaza Strip- which would stifle terror- the government continues to fuel it." Meanwhile, MK Avigdor Lieberman (Israel Beiteinu) said that "the murderous terror attack could have been prevented if the government would halt the supply of fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip." "The government needs to disengage from Gaza, as I've said before," he said. Meir Eindor, head of Almagor terror victims organization commented: "Instead of the Palestinians paying us for fuel that we provide them, we pay them with our blood." "The time has arrived for the government to halt this farce surrounding the fuel shipment issue and declare in the coming months that no further fuel be shipped to Gaza."