Israel ? Israel began cutting vital fuel shipments to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, following through on a promise to step up pressure on the territory’s Hamas rulers after months of Palestinian rocket attacks.

Dor Alon, the Israeli energy company that sells fuel to Gaza, confirmed it received instructions from the Israeli Defense Ministry to reduce shipments.

Last month the Israeli government declared Gaza a “hostile entity” and approved the plan for cutoffs as a response to near-daily rocket attacks by Gaza militants. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak gave the final go-ahead last week.

The fuel cut drew harsh condemnation from Palestinians in Gaza, which relies on Israel for all its fuel and more than half its electricity.

“This is a serious warning to the people of the Gaza Strip. Their lives are now in danger,” said Ahmed Ali, deputy director of Gaza’s Petroleum Authority, which distributes Israeli fuel shipments to private Palestinian companies. “The hospitals, water pumping station and sewage will now be affected by the lack of fuel.”