PCHR Closure Factsheet September 2012

Israels illegal closure of the Gaza Strip Israel has subjected the Gaza Strip to a policy of closure since 1991. Its current, most extreme, form has been applied continuously since 14 June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip. Despite the devastating effects of Operation Cast Lead, Israel continues to apply the policy of closure. Today, the Gaza Strip has been cut off from the outside world for more than five continuous years. Palestinians are only granted permission to leave the territory in extremely limited circumstances, exports are almost nil, and imports have been reduced to a very limited number of items in dramatically insufficient quantities. The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip is enacted as a form of collective punishment by the Israeli authorities. The current closure regime violates numerous principles of international humanitarian law and international human rights law including, inter alia, Article 43 of the Hague Regulations, and Articles 33, 55 and 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the right to life, the right to an adequate standard of living, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, the right to freedom of movement and the right to self-determination, which is indispensible for the development of a society in which people can live with human dignity. Statistics related to the closure Land restrictions: The Gaza Strip is enclosed by a fence and concrete wall along the length of its border. People and/or goods pass through the following crossings:
Crossing Erez Nahal Oz Karni Sufa Karmabu Salem Rafah (Egypt) Type Pedestrian Industrial fuel/gas Goods / Conveyor belt for grains Construction materials All authorised goods Pedestrian Closed/Open Restricted Closed since Jan. 2011 Closed since Mar. 2011 Closed since Sep. 2008 Restricted Restricted

Air restrictions: Palestinians do not have control of their airspace. Gaza International Airport was destroyed by Israel in Jan. 2002. Sea restrictions: Israel illegally restricts fishing in Palestinian waters to within 3 nautical miles off the coast of the Gaza Strip. This unilateral restriction is enforced through the use of force, including live fire. Restrictions on the movement of goods Import of goods by month (daily average)
Needs 10/11 11/11 12/11 01/12 02/12 03/12 04/12 05/12 06/12 07/12 Number of 110 155 151 162 135 112 149 180 168 178 5701 truckloads Tons of cooking 2001 67 96 112 91 107 64.8 114.4 137.3 109.7 78.4 gas Tons of 3,0422 191 322 253 139 182 210 274.4 241 221.7 191.5 cement Tons of 2,5352 858 1,466 1,938 2,258 1,616 1,206 2,077 2,643 2,184.3 1,799.7 aggregates Tons of 2,1942 41 56 63 46 33 30 36.3 26.7 30.6 15.7 iron Litres of 120,0001 0 0 4,419 2,258 1,897 5,697 21,451 8,200 1,067.6 0 benzene Litres of 350,0001 0 0 4,484 10,645 11,241 9,697 47,195 40,771 18,947.6 7,180.6 diesel Litres of industrial 500,0003 0 0 0 0 0 13,871 210,069 251,143 172,710 128,145 fuel 1 Prior to June 2007. 2 Estimated needs in 2011. 3 Needs for the Gaza Electricity Plant to work at full capacity. 08/12 166 60.9 258 1,275.5 28.2 2,243.5 8,837.4 15,483.9 09/12 166 147.6 247 2,367 38 2,290 9,770 19,666

PCHR Closure Factsheet September 2012

% of needs covered by the goods imported

Exports by month (daily average)

Min. needs 10/11 11/11 12/11 01/12 02/12 03/12 04/12 05/12 06/12 07/12 08/12 09/12

Number of truckloads

70*

0.00

0.13

3.47

2.26

0.93

0.90

0.60

0.19

0.10

0.03

0.10

1.13

Restrictions on the movement of people Movement of people through Erez (monthly)

10/11 11/11 12/11 01/12 02/12 03/12 04/12 05/12 06/12 07/12 08/12 09/12

Total Palestinians - Patients - Traders Total Internationals -Humanitarian workers - Journalists - Diplomats

673 1,383 609 84 89

603 1,272 575 60 88

670 1,426 604 55 72

766 2,318 548 46 93

649 2,059 701 43 107

658 1,835 665 54 86

719 1,654 528 31 71

849 1,934 632 44 104

733 1,937 645 38 80

705 2,156 580 28 68

543 1,919 499 32 34

645 1,368 516 19 73

Number of Palestinians crossing Erez (per month)

PCHR Closure Factsheet September 2012