Israel begins construction of sea border, intensifies Gaza siege

Israel has started the construction of an underwater sea barrier, the Defense Ministry announced on Sunday, in the newest phase of the 12-year-long Israeli blockade on Palestinian territory.

The construction, which will continue to the end of the year, was initiated on Zikim beach, located at the northern Gaza border.

The barrier will have three layers. The first is to be below water, the second will be of stone and the third of barbed ware. In addition to the barrier, an extra wire fence will also be built.

The barrier "will effectively block any possibility of entering Israel by sea. This is an additional setback for Hamas," Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said.

The Gaza Strip will set off a new flotilla of ships on Tuesday in a bid to break the 12-year-long Israeli blockade. The first ship will set sail on Tuesday, with a number of injured Gazans and patients aboard.

Tuesday’s Gaza flotilla will coincide with the 8th anniversary of an Israeli attack on the Turkish “Mavi Marmara” flotilla, in which nine Turkish activists were killed when the Israeli navy attacked the vessel in international waters. A tenth activist died nearly four years later, succumbing to injuries sustained during the raid.

On May 21, a four-ship “Freedom Flotilla” set sail for the Gaza Strip to challenge the blockade. The flotilla departed from Norway, then visited Denmark and will continue to visit European ports before docking in the Gaza Strip. Volunteers will join the fleet along its journey.

A total of 4,500 pairs of shoes were placed in front of the Council of the European Union in Brussels on Monday, each pair representing a Palestinian martyred in the conflict with Israel over the last decade.

The Avaaz activist group filled Jean Rey Square with shoes donated from across Europe. The memorial greeted European foreign ministers as they arrived for a meeting to discuss the Gaza crisis among other international matters.