The restrictions represent a reversal of recent Israeli military moves to ease the blockade to relieve economic pressure on Gaza to prevent tensions from boiling over into another bloody conflict.
The new restrictions choke off the territory’s already ailing economy. They come on top of the punishing 16-year blockade that Israel and Egypt have maintained since Hamas seized control of the enclave in 2007.
Israel closed the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing late on Monday after saying it had discovered explosives hidden in a shipment of Zara jeans and other clothing bound for the West Bank — one of the main markets for Gaza's tiny export sector. Israel now allows some 21,000 Gazan labourers to enter Israel for work, and in July, Israel issued hundreds more permits. Over 90 percent more people left the strip than during the same time last year, according to the United Nations humanitarian office.
Fishermen say their struggle reflects how the blockade has damaged a vital part of Gaza's economy. In July, fish accounted for 6 percent of all exports, according to the UN.
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