Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai signed an order Saturday night authorizing employers in the Gaza Belt area to draft workers for jobs necessary for the upkeep of services in the area. Among the workers who can be drafted for work are state and city employees, who could be put to work providing essential services for residents.

The Israel Electric Company has also beefed up its staff in the area to deal with possible electrical outages that could result from rocket attacks by Gaza Arab terrorists. Many of the regular workers with jobs in the area have fled the western Negev fearing attacks.