Iran rejects Israeli lies on Gaza arms shipment

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed as “lies” the recent Israeli allegation that Tehran sought to send missiles to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

“An Iranian ship carrying arms for Gaza captured just in time for the annual AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) anti-Iran campaign. Amazing Coincidence? Or same failed lies,” Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also stated that the allegation that a ship was en route to Gaza from Iran with advanced rockets is basically unfounded.

Israel earlier claimed that its naval forces had raided a ship in the Red Sea and seized dozens of rockets from Iran destined to reach Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza.

In Gaza, Hamas and Islamic Jihad also rejected the Israeli accusation.

The Hamas Interior Ministry called the Israeli claim a dangerous move aimed at justifying the seven-year blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Gaza has been blockaded since June 2007, which is a situation that has caused a decline in the standards of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.

The Israeli regime denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.

The humanitarian crisis facing Gaza has escalated as the only power plant in the coastal enclave has stopped working since last November due to a severe fuel shortage.