The reporting period witnessed a large-scale Israeli offensive, so-called ‘Operation Pillar of Defence’, which lasted for 8 successive days from 14 – 21 November 2012. For six of the eight days, Israeli authorities completely closed the sole commercial crossing, Karm Abu Salem. During the 2 days that the crossing was opened, Israel allowed the entry of a very limited amount of cooking gas, wheat and fodder, but this did not meet the basic needs of the people of the Gaza Strip. Beit Hanoun crossing, the sole crossing designed for the movement of persons between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem and Israel, operated at its lowest capacity during the offensive. Only a very limited number of patients, journalists, and international workers were allowed to travel; other categories of persons were banned from travelling through the crossing.
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