The Israeli decision to cut electricity and fuel supplies to Gaza Strip was "a war crime," a spokesman for Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) which rules the area said on Wednesday.
"Any step by the Israel to cut the power and fuel from Gaza is a war crime and a collective punishment aimed at forcing the Palestinian people to kneel down," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.
"According to the international law, the occupying forces are obligated to provide the humanitarian needs for the people who are under the occupation," Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza.
An Israeli legal and military committee, headed by deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, has recommended that blockade of Gaza Strip must be tightened, more restrictions on goods deliveries be imposed and electricity cut for several hours.
On Tuesday, Matan told the committee that the electricity must be cut for several hours on northern Gaza Strip areas, mainly BeitHanuon town, where most of the Palestinian rockets are fired at Israel.
The decision has to get Defense Minister Ehud Barak's approval, Israeli sources said.
The Gaza Strip is already suffering lack of goods and raw materials since last month when Israel announced it a hostile entity. The move came in response to Hamas' capturing of the territory by force in June.
As for the continuation of rocket-fire from Gaza, several Palestinian factions claimed responsibility for launching at least 17 mortar shells and home-made rockets at the Israeli communities around Gaza Strip.
Islamic Jihad's (Holy War) military wing said three rockets were fired at Sderot, three towards Kissufim crossing in southeast Gaza and two rockets were launched at a settlement a few kilometers away from Gaza.
The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) also said it had fired three rockets at the coastal city of Ashkelon on southern Israel and four mortars at Nahal Oz crossing in eastern Gaza city.
Tow more rockets landed in Sderot city were fired by Fatah military wing and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
In separated statements, the armed groups said the attacks were in response to the killing of an Islamic Jihad commander in West Bank Tuesay, the death of a prisoner due to Israeli excessive force in the Negev jail and the air strike on Gaza city where a PRC commander was killed.
