The Qassam military wing of the Islamic group Hamas, which is opposed to the Israeli-PLO peace accord, said it carried out the bombings which killed 57 people. The virtual blockade is paralysing communities. In Gaza hundreds of Palestinians queued at bakeries and also gathered in front of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's office to protest at shortages of flour and bread. He said Israel allowed the import of only 30 tonnes of flour from Egypt into the Gaza Strip on Thursday. Daily consumption of flour among the one million people in the Strip is 250 tonnes.
Fishing is a big business in the Gaza Strip on the shores of the Mediterranean.
There are 12,500 fishermen whose daily income comes from the sea. Abul Kheir asked grimly. Prices of chicken, vegetables, fruit, meat and of imported foods have risen as supplies run short. Several bakeries have closed and a pizza restaurant owner said he was forced to close down for lack of flour.