Haaretz reports: Israel is halting mail service to the Gaza Strip “in light of multiple attempts to smuggle banned items… used for terrorism against Israel,” Yoav Mordechai, the coordinator of government activities in occupied territories, posted on Facebook on Thursday.
Security officials confiscated drones, scuba diving equipment and weapons components, among items being sent in the mail to the coastal territory via the overland Erez crossing earlier in the day.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas had no immediate response.
Several Gaza residents told Haaretz they see the decision as a continuation of Israel’s policy of collective punishment and further proof that Israel controls all of Gaza. They said the postal services are very limited anyway and handle mainly package deliveries.
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