Ref: 26/2008

Date: 14 July 2008

PCHR Issues a Report on Dramatic Price Increases in the Gaza Strip

PCHR has just published a report on price increases in the Gaza Strip. “The Phenomena of Price Increases and Their Impact on the Economic and Social Rights of Gaza Strip Civilians” investigates increases in prices of goods in Gaza between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008, including the prices of food, medicine and fuel.

The report analyses the causes of price increases across the Gaza Strip during this period, and the relationship between prices for goods in Gaza compared to world averages. In addition, it details the impact of the Israeli occupation Forces (IOF) ongoing siege on prices across the Occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) in general, and the Gaza Strip in particular, since July 2007. The report reveals the extent of chronic shortages in goods due to IOF restricting imports to Gaza to nine basic categories. There have subsequently been dramatic price increases for some items, mainly food, medicine and fuel items.

The report criticizes the monitoring role played by the Government in Gaza, and its current inability to intervene in order to protect Gaza consumers, including the chronically poor, against monopolies that have exploited the ongoing siege of Gaza, causing prices for some goods to spiral. These monopolies have manipulated price increases and have to date remained unaccountable. This in turn has severely affected the ability of Gaza’s 1.5 million civilians to purchase the range of goods they need, causing a chronic deterioration of living standards and socio-economic rights, and violating basic human rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education.

Finally, the report provides recommendations that could contribute to alleviating the impact of price increases on Gaza’s civilian population. These recommendations include an urgent call to the international community to pressure Israel to end its closure and siege policy towards the Gaza Strip. In addition, the report calls upon the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to work towards overcoming the catastrophic damage caused by the IOF siege of the Gaza Strip, as well as using dialogue and law in order to resolve the disputes between the conflicting parties in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip. The report also asks the government in Gaza to intervene regarding price increases, using a variety of mechanisms, including tightening control on Gaza markets and the price of goods, and activating Law No. 21 (2005) that relates to consumer protection, in order to protect consumers and retailers, and especially to offer protection to Gazans living in chronic poverty.