Israel has been getting hammered in the press for creating a “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza by cutting off the power in retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. That “humanitarian crisis” sparked yesterday’s run through the security wall into Egypt, facilitated by “gunmen” and ending in what a cynic might call looting.

Egyptian shopkeepers swiftly raised prices of milk, taxi rides and cigarettes, but that did not deter the Gazans, for many of whom it was their first trip out of the territory.

Some staggered back into Gaza carrying televisions, and others sported brand-new mobile phones. In Gaza City, prices of cigarettes – which had skyrocketed during the total blockade of the past week – fell by 70 per cent in a few hours.

If the power isn’t working because there’s a “humanitarian crisis,” why go to the trouble of snagging a TV? Anyway…

It turns out that there’s less to the humanitarian crisis than meets the eye.

In the first case, journalists who were invited to cover the Hamas government meeting were surprised to see Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and his ministers sitting around a table with burning candles.

In the second case on Tuesday, journalists noticed that Hamas legislators who were meeting in Gaza City also sat in front of burning candles.

But some of the journalists noticed that there was actually no need for the candles because both meetings were being held in daylight.

“They had closed the curtains in the rooms to create the impression that Hamas leaders were also suffering as a result of the power stoppage,” one journalist told The Jerusalem Post. “It was obvious that the whole thing was staged.”

Palestinians staging crisis for the cameras? Say it ain’t so…

Update (AP): Glorious photo evidence.