Ramallah, Jul 11 (IANS): Palestine has accused Israel of obstructing the efforts to stabilise the Egypt-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by tightening the blockade.

In a statement on Saturday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip "pay heavy prices due to the endless Israeli blockade which ruined their daily living", reports Xinhua news agency

"The Israeli blockade has led to sabotaging the lives of the Palestinian citizens and declining the level of basic services provided, under the pressure of Israeli delay and extortion," the statement said.

Israel has been imposing a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip right after the Islamic Hamas Movement seized control of the coastal enclave in 2007.

Israel tightened the blockade during the 11-day fighting with Hamas-led militant groups, which ended on May 21 and left more than 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.

The statement called on the UN Security Council to bear its responsibilities and take all needed measures "to oblige Israel to abide by international and humanitarian laws".

On July 9 the UN Humanitarian Coordinator of the occupied Palestinian territory Lynn Hastings warned that the Israeli ban on bringing supplies to the besieged Gaza Strip puts vital sectors in the enclave at risk.