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Hamas’s security forces on Monday and Tuesday raided the offices of several non-governmental organizations in the Gaza Strip and confiscated equipment and furniture, drawing sharp condemnations from human rights groups.
The sources said the raids were carried out by agents belonging to Hamas’s Internal Security apparatus without court permission.
Hamas raids, closes NGO offices
This kind of situation is an example why one simply cannot lift the maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip. Unless robust mechanisms, including a strong enforcement component, are in place to prevent Hamas and its personnel from deriving benefit (something that would compromise Israel's security needs), the blockade cannot be lifted. So far, no one from the international community has proposed such mechanisms. Needless to say, given past experience, including that in Lebanon, monitors or lightly-armed forces modeled after UNIFIL would be inadequate.