Israel’s Defense Ministry on Sunday began the construction of a sea barrier on the Gaza Strip border, a move which had been decided in the days following the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, a.k.a. Operation Protective Edge. It is due to be completed by the end of this year.
The barrier – a breakwater – will consist of three layers: one below sea level, above it a layer of armor stone, and above that a barbed wire fence.
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said that the construction of the barrier constitutes an additional blow to Hamas’ capabilities: “This is the only barrier of its kind in the world, which will effectively block the possibility of infiltrating into Israel by sea,” he said.
“This is yet another frustration for Hamas, which will lose another strategic capability,” Liberman stated, adding, “We will continue to defend Israeli citizens with strength and sophistication.”
The decision to build an upgraded naval barrier was accepted by the Defense Ministry as a lesson from Operation Protective Edge, during which a terrorist squad managed to infiltrate Israel by sea.
The new response to the security threat is designed to withstand the sea conditions and serve the defense establishment for many years.