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<h1><font size=4><b>Humanitarian Groups Appeal for End of Gaza
Siege</b></font></h1>
<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/date.gif" width=12 height=10 alt="author">
</b></h1><font size=3> Tuesday November 30, 2010
18:15<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/person.gif" width=14 height=12 alt="author">
by Alessandra Bajec - IMEMC & Agencies
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<a href="http://www.imemc.org/article/60052" eudora="autourl">
http://www.imemc.org/article/60052<br><br>
</a></font>A coalition of 21 international human rights organizations
called for end to 'cruel and illegal' Gaza blockade, arguing that the
partial lifting agreed by Israel has made a limited impact in improving
life of Gaza civilians, sources reported on Tuesday. <br><br>
A report by 21 groups published on Tuesday, entitled "Dashed Hopes:
Continuation of the Gaza Blockade", revealed that Israel's 'easing'
on the import of materials for UNRWA and other international building
projects did not change anything in the lives of the civilian population
of the Strip. <br><br>
The coalition of non-government organizations included Oxfam, Amnesty
International, Save the Children, Christian Aid, Medical Aid for
Palestinians, and the Norwegian Refugee Council. <br><br>
According to the study, Gazans are still suffering from a shortage of
construction materials, a ban on exports, and severe restrictions on
movement of civilians, six months ahead of Israel's loosening of its
embargo on the coastal enclave. <br><br>
The report showed that Israel's easing measures focus on food and
consumer products however with little effect on larger projects. Overall,
11% of the construction materials that entered Gaza before the blockade
is now getting in.<br><br>
The UN plans to build 100 schools and 10,000 housing units, some of which
to replace those damaged or destroyed during the Gaza war. To date, it
has started implementing only 7% of these projects, and their progress
has been obstructed by Israel. <br><br>
Many of the thousands of homes, schools, clinics and businesses hit in
the three-week war in 2008-09 are still unrepaired, nearly two years
ahead because of the shortage of building materials.<br><br>
Around 40% of the 1.5 million impoverished population of Gaza are
jobless, and 80% depend on aid. Nevertheless, some businesses are still
unable to import raw materials they need. The humanitarian organizations
denounced that two-thirds of Gaza's businesses have closed since the
blockade was tightened in June 2007. <br><br>
Except for strawberries and carnations sent to European markets, exports
remain banned. Clothing factories are now allowed to import fabric but
cannot export finished items.<br><br>
With regard to the maintained control on the movement of people, the
study indicated the number of permits granted to people to leave Gaza
amounts to less than 1% of the number 10 years ago. <br><br>
Also, no progress has been reportedly made on the "buffer zone"
around Gaza's borders, which takes over 35% of Gaza's arable land and 85%
of maritime fishing waters "with devastating impact on the economy
and people's rights and livelihoods … Boundaries of the restricted areas
are highly arbitrary and enforced by live fire," Six civilians have
been killed and 50 injured by Israeli fire in the buffer zone since the
easing of the siege six months ago.<br><br>
Jeremy Hobbs, director of Oxfam, stated: "The only real easing has
been the easing of pressure on the Israeli authorities to end this cruel
and illegal practice…Israel's failure to live up to its commitments and
the lack of international action to lift the blockade are depriving
Palestinians in Gaza of access to clean water, electricity, jobs and a
peaceful future."<br><br>
In expressing deep concerns over Israeli siege on the Gaza strip, which
entered its fourth year last June, the aid groups called for renewed
international action to unconditionally lift the blockade: "There
cannot be a just and durable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict without an end to the isolation and punishment of people in
Gaza," <br><br>
The enquiry provoked an angry response from COGAT, the Israeli military
body responsible for Gaza, condemning the claims as "biased and
distorted". It declared the number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip
on a daily basis had increased by 92% since last June, adding that there
were security and logistical issues in relation to export of goods and
import of construction materials. <br><br>
Israel agreed to ease the siege on Gaza in response to growing
international pressure to ease restrictions, following last May Israeli
raid on a flotilla of aid boats trying to breach the blockade, in which
nine Turkish activists were killed. <br>
Israel currently allows in import of food and many other consumer items,
but there is still a ban on arms or construction materials which, Israel
argues, could be used by militants for military purposes across the
border.<br><br>
Israel continues to maintain a complete naval blockade on the
Strip.<br><br>
<br><br>
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