Ref: 43/2006
Date: 07 August 2006
PCHR Publish Closure Update No. 50
“A Report by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights on the Closure Imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip”
On Monday, 7 August 2006, PCHR has published the 50th in a series of updates on the closure imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip. It highlights the impacts of the Israeli policy of closure on the living conditions of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip over the period 1 May – 31 July 2006.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip. They have closed all border crossings, including Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border. They have also systematically destroyed the civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, including the electricity generation plant, bridges, roads and service institutions. The total siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and the destruction of the civilian infrastructure have left disastrous impacts on the Palestinian civilian population. At 200,000 families lack electricity supplies completely, and the other families receive electricity supplies for less than 8 hours a day. Moreover, at least 88,000 families lack clean drinking water due to the lack of electricity and fuel, which has impacted their health. The Gaza Strip also suffers from a shortage in fuel supplies, which has impacted transportation and obstructed activities of hospitals, medical centers, ministries, factories and workshops, which have depended on fuel to generate electricity following the destruction of the electricity generation plant and the infrastructure of electricity supplies in the Gaza Strip.
The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has impacted all aspects of economic and social life in the Gaza Strip, and has caused a humanitarian crisis that can be attributed to shortages in medicines, foodstuffs and fuels. This new update focuses on the health sector in the Gaza Strip, which has been the most affected by the total siege. Hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been forced to postpone dozens of surgeries due to the lack of medicines and other medical supplies. As a result, the lives of at least 112,000 Palestinians suffering from chronic diseases has been threatened, including approximately 90,000 who still face difficulties in finding medicines.
Moreover, the total siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has largely impacted the already deteriorated economy of the Gaza Strip, and has undermined investment and development opportunities. IOF have deprived the Palestinian civilian population of sources of income, making at least 70% of the population live below the poverty line.
IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the Gaza Strip as a form of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population, in spite of the implementation of the disengagement plan in September 2005, under which IOF were redeployed outside the Gaza Strip. They have continued to close all border crossings between the Gaza Strip on one hand and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and Israel on the other hand. They have obstructed commercial transactions of the Gaza Strip through al-Mentar (Karni) and Sofa crossing, and have prevented Palestinian workers from reaching their work places via Erez crossing. Additionally, Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, has been closed since 25 June 2006, following an attack on IOF military post near Kerem Shalom crossing, southeast of Rafah. The movement of Palestinian civilians and goods through the crossing point has been prohibited. Thousands of Palestinian civilians have been stuck on both sides of the crossing point waiting to be allowed to travel from or back to the Gaza Strip.
-End-
Note: PCHR has published the report in Arabic only, and it will be available in English soon.
