The closure of the only commercial crossing point is part of putting pressure on Gaza and suffocate its citizens, HAMAS spokesman in Gaza Abdulatif al-Qanou'a said in an emailed press statement on Tuesday.

Al-Qanou'a said that the zionist occupation regime had banned the shipment of construction materials and closed Kerem Shalom commercial crossing point.

"All means of pressure and threats would be meaningless, and no one can break our people's determination to end the siege," al-Qanou stressed.

The Palestinian border authorities in the Gaza Strip announced that the zionist occupation regime (ZOR) decided to ban entry of building materials into the coastal enclave as of Tuesday, August 11, and until further notice.

The ZOR claimed the measure was taken in response to the ongoing launch of balloons carrying incendiaries and explosives towards Jewish settlements around Gaza.

However, local sources in Gaza described the flying of such balloons by angry youths as acts of protest against zionist regime’s failure to honor its pledges, under the last truce understandings, to ease the blockade on Gaza. (ILKHA)