During the reporting period, Israeli authorities continued to impose closure on the Gaza Strip for the 14th consecutive year and continued to control entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip at the Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing. Furhtrmore, Israeli authorities continued to impose restrictions on the entry of goods classified as “dual-use items” and continued to ban the Gaza Strip exports, except for very limited agricultural products, constituting only 7% of the total monthly Gaza exports before the closure. This enhanced the deterioration of economic, health and educational situation in addition to the infrastructure.
The ongoing closure coincided with unprecedented developments that negatively affected the Gaza Strip population and deepened their suffering, particularly patients in desperate need to travel and receive medical treatment abroad. The Coordination and Liaison Department in the Palestinian Ministry of Health suspended the travel coordination for the Gaza Strip patients, who are referred to hospitals in Israel or the West Bank for medical treatment.[1] As a result, patients referred for treatment in Israeli hospitals have been forced to coordinate directly with their hospitals in order to communicate with Israeli authorities and facilitate their exit from the Gaza Strip through Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing. Regarding patients reffered for treatment at the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH)’s hospitals in the West Bank, Israeli human rights organizations have coordinated thier travel. In limited cases (life-saving), the International Committee of the Red Cross coordinates patients’ travel, upon a request submitted by the Gaza Ministry of Health.
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[1] Coordination stopped pursuant to the Palestinain President’s decision on 20 May 2020 to absolve PLO and the State of Palestine’s from all treaties and agreements with the Israeli and American governments.
