This report documents the impact of
the ongoing Israeli-imposed siege on the economic and social conditions of
Palestinian civilians during the reporting period. The report also addresses the state of
commercial crossings and crossings designated for the movement of persons. The following arethe most significant
developments relevant to Gaza’s
border crossings during this period:

Data presented in this report
refutes claims by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) of the alleged easing of the
siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. The data also shows that IOF have continued to
impose restrictions on the Gaza Strip’s commercial crossings, including having completecontrol
of the import of basic items and raw materials, which do not meet the minimum
needs of the Gaza Strip’s population.

Karm Abu Salem crossing was closed for 10 days (32.25%) during the
reporting period. The number of
truckloadsthat entered via the crossing reached 4,498; this is an average of
less than 145 truckloads daily, representing 25.4% of the average previously
imported prior to imposing the siege in June 2007 (570 truckloads daily).

The cooking gas crisis has continued due to the limited operational
capacity of Karm Abu Salem crossing. In August, IOF allowed the delivery of
approximately 2,937 tons; a daily average of 94.7 tons representing 47.3% of daily
needs that reach 200 tons daily in summer.

IOF have continued to impose a complete ban on construction materials
entering Gaza
for the private sector. However, they
allowed the entry of limited quantities of construction material for
international organizations in Gaza;
48,604 tons of aggregate,4,888 tons of cement and 1,134 tons of construction
iron for international projects in the context of the alleged easing of the
siege declared by IOF over a year ago.

Although over a year has passed since the declaration by IOF that it
would allow the entry of 60 vehicles daily into the Gaza Strip, it continues to
procrastinate on implementing this without providing any reason. IOF allowed the entry of only 110 vehicles
during the reporting period. As a
result, vehicle prices continue to rise.

During the reporting period, IOF have continued to reduce the number of
patients allowed to travel to hospitals in Israel
and/or Jerusalem and the West
Bank for medical treatment. The number of patients allowed to
travel via Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing reached 552 in August, an average of 18
patients daily, which represents 36% of the average of patients that was
previously allowed in the first half of 2006.On the other hand, 33
international journalists, 49 diplomats and 461 workers of international
humanitarian organizations were allowed to enter Gaza often under complicated
procedures, resulting in several days of delay for many of those allowed to
enter.

The full report is available here.