Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai dismissed out of hand Hamas claims that Israel would cause Gaza hospitals to lose electricity by noon and a famine for flour by Wednesday, unless Israel resumes pumping fuel to Gaza and allowing truckloads of goods through the Gaza crossings.
Vilnai told IDF Army Radio that this is nothing but an attempt by Hamas "to provoke our feelings" and said that there really is no energy shortage in Gaza.
"It's a shame that we fall for that trick," Deputy Minister Vilnai lamented. "I promise you one thing: If there is one Kilowatt in all of Gaza , it's going to be in just one place. A metal working lathe, fashioning Kassams."
"They use us. They know us. They know our sensitivity to humanitarian concerns and they play on it."
Closure of the crossings, which has prevented deliveries of fuel, foodstuffs and other items into the region, has been the only response by Defense Minister Ehud Barak to the upsurge in rocket attacks this week.
The Gaza Underground
Businessmen in Gaza are increasingly importing goods from Egypt through the tunnel system originally built by terrorist groups to smuggle weapons, ammunition and operatives.
Bread, cigarettes, electronic devices, appliances, clothing, beef, toys and even lamb meat is known to pass through the underground network.
While Hamas charges for use of the tunnels, the system is still profitable enough for local business owners, according to security sources who said that 90 percent of the goods sold in Gaza marketplaces went through Hamas tunnels to get there. The sources estimated that more than $30 million worth of merchandise passes through the tunnels each month.
The vast majority of the region's electricity continues to be supplied through lines connected to Israel's national grid. Egypt supplies a small amount of Gaza's electricity as well.