""where imports via Egypt are perfectly practicable [or if not, it is the Egyptians not the Israelis who are preventing them].""

Slightly disingenuous Mike!

It is a fact that Egypt has been very careful about rocking the boat, since the accord established between that country and Israel.

I don't know what may be changing under the new Egyptian government, but the previous one was NO friend to Gaza. It was only the blowing up of a considerable length of that Israeli built barrier which allowed a large number of Gazans into Egypt, where they bought mainly food and household goods (a matter of public record), not rockets.

Don T.