Ref: 29/2008

Date: 23 July 2008

Director of PCHR Meets with Head of OCHA in the OPT and PCHR Receives a Delegation from the Basque  

On Wednesday, 23 July 2008, Mr. Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, met at PCHR’s office in Gaza with Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, Head the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and staff members of the office. Mr. Sourani briefed the guest on the human rights situation in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, and stressed that humanitarian conditions have not imposed more than a month after the Egypt-brokered truce between Palestinian resistance groups and Israeli had entered into force. Restrictions imposed on the movement of civilians and the flow of goods and humanitarian needs through border crossings have not been eased, Mr. Sourani asserted.

In the period 21-23 July 2008, PCHR hosted a delegation from the Basque-Spain comprised of 9 human rights defenders, who have been in a solidarity visit to the OPT. Members of the delegation met with representatives of political factions and with Mr. Joh Ging, Director of UNRWA Field Office in Gaza. They also visited offices of a number of civil society organizations and some summer camps in the Gaza Strip. Ms. Lidon Soriano, head of the delegation, expressed her deep sorrow for the disastrous living conditions in the Gaza Strip, which, she asserted, are much worse than how they were during her last visit to the Gaza Strip last year.