Here are the first images of the Israeli submarine barrier designed to block the Gaza Strip.
The barrier, which is located on the Zikim beach, will stretch for 200 meters along the Mediterranean Sea, separating Gaza from Israel and is structured into three levels, an underwater base; a concrete platform at 50 meters deep and a barbed wire fence at 6 meters deep.
The project should be completed by the end of the year 2018 and its cost is estimated around 25 million shekels, about 6,7 million dollars.
The initiative was interpreted as a further attempt by Israel to tighten the siege on the Gaza Strip, which lasts from the 2007. Israel closed the civil and commercial passage across the enclave borders and built a "protective barrier" around the 1949 Armistice Green Line, which serves as a border.
According to the Minister of Defense, Avigdor Liebermann, who proposed the creation of the barrier, "The construction of the barrier around the Gaza Strip, both by sea and by land, is proceeding at a high rate. Every day, our abilities to fight terrorism increase ", he added" Hamas loses every day the possibility of attacking Israel ".
Israel has also ordered a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip, which currently puts a three nautical mile limit to Gazan fishermen, 17 less than the limits agreed in the Oslo agreements of the early '90. Last week, two Freedom Flotilla vessels that attempted to break the naval blockade were intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters.
Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip is causing devastating effects, the most damaged industrial and commercial sectors hit hard by the Israeli ban on the import of fuel and gas, which led to shortages and unemployment.
Last week, UN officials raised an alarm denouncing the grave humanitarian situation of children in Gaza and the continuing violations of their rights.
Farhan Haq, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, appealed to the children's rights and called for immediate measures to alleviate their suffering ".