ICRC to stop routine aid to Gaza?

Hamas newspaper Felesteen reports that the International Committee of the Red Cross will stop routinely providing medicines, ambulances and spare parts for medical equipment to the Gaza health ministry by the beginning of 2015.

The report says that the aid began during Operation Cast Lead and had remained for five years since then.

The Hamas government is strongly protesting this.

Israel had not restricted any imports of medicines or medical equipment to Gaza (although certain types of equipment sometimes take a few extra days for special permission.) 

It appears that Hamas' complaint is that the cash-strapped government doesn't want to pay for these things itself and prefers to have the extra $3 million to be able to buy rockets and build kidnapping tunnels.

In the past, Hamas has confiscated donated medicines from NGOs and governments and sold them for a profit.

The PA has balked at paying for medical equipment and medicine for Gaza as well.

 I didn't see any announcement on the ICRC webpage about this.