TEL AVIV: Two days after the start of the war in the Middle East following a lightning attack by Hamas, Israel has ordered a total blockade of Gaza. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that food, fuel and electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of Hamas, will be cut off. He said the situation in Gaza is under control but there may still be attackers and the blockade is part of the fight against them. Israel and Egypt have repeatedly imposed blockades on Gaza since Hamas gained control of Gaza in 2007. Israel is moving to tighten the blockade now, in the face of Hamas' new actions.

Israel officially declared war after the attack by Hamas. The Israeli army has confirmed to the media that they are continuing their inspections in Gaza. Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesman told the news agency that the fight was going on still and that more Israelis had been captured. He also stated that their goal is the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran has called an emergency meeting of the OIC countries. The meeting comes amid reports of Iran's support for the attacks by Hamas. The Wall Street Journal had reported that the decision to attack was made at a meeting in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, attended by Hamas and the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. There are reports that officers of Iran's special military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had been planning a multi-pronged attack on Israel by land, sea and air since last August. At the same time, Iran responded that it was not involved in the attack.

Yesterday, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Egypt has started talks with Saudi Arabia and Jordan to resolve the conflict. At the same time, the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah announced its support for Hamas. Yesterday they clashed with Israeli forces on the border and shelled the Shebaa Farms area. Egyptian police shot dead two Israeli tourists and a local guide in Alexandria, Egypt.