A complete siege is a military tactic where an attacking force surrounds a city or fortress to block the provision of supplies and reinforcement or escape of troops, and reduce the fortifications by means of siege engines, artillery bombardment, mining, or the use of deception or treachery to bypass defenses. In the context of recent events, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a "complete siege" on Gaza, halting the entry of food, fuel, and supplies to its 2.3 million people as it pounded the Hamas-ruled territory with waves of airstrikes in retaliation for the militants bloody weekend incursion.