But they can smuggle in huge amounts of ammunition, arms, and explosives. They just need to set free Gilad Shalit who is now held hostage for nearly 2,5 years (he was never allowed to send or receive letters or see a representative of the Red Cross) and to stop the rocket fire.

Louis W, Hamburg, Germany

Israel and the us should be tried under the human rights act...
this is absolutely disgusting the way so-called humans treat another. my heart goes out to any human who is treated this way, especially when you are taught about the jewish holocaust. Has Israel no feelings towards their fellow ma

milliemay, manchester, uk

How can you expect the people of Gaza to flourish and even get to a point where they can supply any exports when Israel control the borders.

jase, peterborough,

Tim from York- the rockets aren't harmless, if they hit their target, the person dies. Hamas has brought this on themselves, if they cared more for their people than than hurting Israel, this wouldn't happen. And why should Israel believe them and open the borders before Hamas deal with the rockets?

Lw, London,

It's funny(?) here in the US we hear very little about the atrocities committed against PALs, unless of course as it affects the well-being of Israel. Our media, govt, and school teachers focus instead on Darfur.
Hmmmm, sort of diverts attention away from a much bigger humanitarian issue.

BigJoe, NYC, US

Interesting (ironic!) to read some comments on the recent saga in Gaza with shortages of food, electrivity and basic elements to live, and ignore the last 60 years of Palestinians living in diaspora (in their own country), oh, and the thousands killed in brutal ways, yeah, it's the rockets, eh!

Na'el, Newcastle, UK

Hamas has come to power in a fair and democratic elections. Hamas has the full right under international law to resist the occupation. Collective punishment of around 2 million people now in Gaza because they have practised the long-demanded, 'democracy', is THE 'terrible commentary' on Israel and..

Abdul, London, UK

Gaza is now a police state so any journalist arriving on the activists' 'Freedom for Gaza' boat and filing from there, would have had to be vetted by Hamas, who are intent on portraying the Gazans' plight as worse than that of the Zimbabweans. Still, I do not belittle the courage of Marie Colvin.

Hanna, London, England

Besides finding this story a bit circumspect, I don't recall Britain being held responsible for the plight of poor and hungry families in Germany during WW2.

If Hamas made peace with Israel the first people to benefit would be the Gazan people. The ball is therefore in Hamas' court.

Koppers, Manchester,

The Palestinian people are being disintegrated by the Occupation. This has never been a symmetrical conflict. Never. It has always been extremely disproportionately violent against the Palestinians.

LDLD, NYC,

So for Israel's apologists to cite the suicide bombings (began in 1994) or the rockets, is a perfect example of the nationalist mindset. They think they're suffering an equal amount of casualties and hardship. They have ZERO perspective of the conflict.

LDLD, NYC,

The rockets pose little to no threat to Israel. Most just land in open areas and cause little damage when they actually hit a target. Hardly any justification to starve 1.5 million people.

Tim, York,

Hamas have had 3 years to crack down on the rocket launchers. They haven't done so and nor will they because Hamas themselves are the ones launching the rockets. They have only themselves to blame for Israel closing the borders.

Simon , London, UK

No mention of the constant rockets into Israel and the underground tunnels used to smuggle arms from Egypt to Gaza. Israel pulled out of Gaza 2 years ago & it was a fertile green area supplying high quality produce to European markets. Let them use their ingenuity to produce food and not rockets.

barrieg, Zichron Yaacov, Israel