Syrian-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal threatened on Wednesday that if Israel does not open up the Gaza crossings, "there will be an explosion that the world cannot imagine." Visiting former American President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to meet with Mashaal later this week in an effort to bring about negotiations between Hamas and Israel.
Israel has closed closed the crossings to routine traffic because of terrorist attacks by Hamas but it has maintained daily shipments of more than 100 trucks of humanitarian aid.