Haneya accuses Israel of isolating Gaza Strip from Egypt

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya on Tuesday accused Israel of attempting to isolate the Gaza Strip from neighboring Egypt.

Haneya said in a statement that Israel plans to reoccupy part of the Gaza Strip to separate it from Egypt, the strip's western neighbor.

"The military operation that Israel intends to carry out in southern and northern Gaza Strip comes as part of Israeli attempts to cut between Gaza and its sister Egypt," he said.

The prime minister made the remarks amid reports that Israel will send its troops to Gaza to reoccupy Rafah city and the adjacent border with Egypt in an effort to prevent arms smuggling from Egypt to Palestinian militant groups.

"The upcoming Israeli offensive is a grave violation and reoccupation of the Gaza Strip," Haneya said, underlining that Palestinian and Egyptian security forces are able to protect the Palestinian-Egyptian borders and Palestinian citizens.

He urged the international community to "stop Israeli aggression and its plans to reoccupy the Gaza Strip."

Israel pulled out from the strip in September last year, ending 38 years of occupation.

Source: Xinhua