GAZA-EGYPT BORDER RESTRICTIONS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION OF PALESTINIANS, SAYS UN

From: UNNews <UNNews@un.org>
Date: 23 Sep 2013 15:00:01 -0400
Subject: GAZA-EGYPT BORDER RESTRICTIONS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN
SITUATION OF PALESTINIANS, SAYS UN
To: news11@ny-mail-p-lb-028.ptc.un.org

GAZA-EGYPT BORDER RESTRICTIONS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION OF
PALESTINIANS, SAYS UNNew York, Sep 23 2013 3:00PMSevere restrictions
on movement between the Gaza Strip and Egypt through the Rafah
Crossing have worsened an already fragile humanitarian situation for
the territory's 1.7 million Palestinians, including increasing fuel
shortages and limiting access to health services abroad, the United
Nations said today.

The Egyptian-controlled Rafah Crossing is Gaza's main gateway to the
outside world, following the long-term restrictions imposed on the
crossings controlled by Israel, notes the report of the Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied
Palestinian territory.

However, recent action by Egypt to counter illegal activities and
insecurity in the Sinai have included imposing "severe" restrictions
on the movement of people through the Rafah Crossing and closing down
smuggling tunnels under the Egyptian-Gaza border.

At the same time, there has been only limited easing of the ongoing
restrictions imposed at legitimate crossing points from Israel.

"Consequently, an already fragile humanitarian situation in the Gaza
Strip has worsened," states the report.

When open, the operating hours at the Rafah Crossing are four hours a
day, six days per week – reduced from nine hours, seven days per week.
Only authorized travellers have been permitted to cross, including
foreign nationals, people holding visas, and patients officially
referred for medical treatment abroad.

"As a result, the vast majority of Gazans, who do not meet these
criteria, are unable to cross," the report points out. "On average,
fewer than 400 people per day have crossed in both directions since
July 2013, about 29 per cent of the numbers who crossed in the first
half of 2013."

The report also notes that most of the illegal tunnels under the
Egyptian-Gaza border – the main channel for the supply of construction
materials and fuel – have been shut down. As of 21 September, only an
estimated 10 tunnels were believed to be operating, down from
approximately 300 prior to June.

The Gaza Power Plant has been forced to reduce electricity production
and may shut down completely, if adequate fuel supplies are not
urgently made available.

Fuel shortages and increased power outages, according to OCHA, are
"significantly" impacting the provision of essential services,
shortages of construction materials are impeding maintenance and
rehabilitation of essential service infrastructure, and restricted
access for people through Rafah Crossing is impeding access to
specialized health services abroad.

The restrictions on the crossings controlled by Israel are part of the
blockade the Government imposed on Gaza beginning in 2007 for what it
called security reasons after the Hamas group, which does not
recognize Israel's right to exist, ousted the Fatah movement from the
Strip.Sep 23 2013 3:00PM
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