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| By: Israel Insider staff |
| Published: August 12, 2007 |
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Shortages of raw materials in Gaza are leading to a decrease in the firing of homemade Qassam rockets at Israel's western Negev, despite three rockets being fired into Israel Sunday.
According to a Ynetnews report, shortages in both fertilizers and steel, materials used in rocket production, are hindering the rocket fire.
Despite this, Palestinian militants fired three rockets from Gaza into the Qassam-battered western Negev town of Sderot Sunday morning, landing in open fields and causing no damage or injuries.
Egyptian efforts to crack down on smuggling along the Egypt-Gaza border have been sited as a reason for the shortages. Israel's insistence on closing border crossings into Gaza for security reasons has also lead to the scarcity of materials, as the crossings are often used to transport supplies into Gaza.
The price of fertilizer has more than doubled, rising from $20 a kilogram to $50. The increase in the price of steel has been even more drastic, going from approximately $28 to nearly $190 per rod.
Facing shortages, Hamas operatives stole dozens of kilograms of fertilizer from the Fatah-affiliated al-Azhar University.
Ynetnews reported that Palestinian operatives verified the shortages, but stated that they still had a large secret store of rockets. |
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