Gaza fuel blockade to continue

JERUSALEM, April 13 (UPI) -- Israeli officials Sunday said they would not lift the fuel blockade to Gaza until the end of the investigation into last week's deadly terminal attack.

Palestinian militants opened fire on the Nahal Oz fuel terminal Wednesday, killing two workers.

The attack "set the stage" for a larger scale assault on the Israeli border by Hamas militants, DEBKAfile, an Israeli intelligence Web site, warned Sunday.

Knesset member Tzachi Hangebi refuted claims by Palestinians that the attacks were in response to fuel shortages in Gaza, Haaretz said Sunday.

Israeli Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit echoed those sentiments in The Jerusalem Post.

"There is no crisis in Gaza," Sheetrit said. "The crisis is artificial. This is a Hamas lie intended to pressure the international community."

DEBKAfile reported Egyptian security officials had ramped up patrols along the Rafah border, warning any Palestinians trying to cross illegally would be "shot like rats."