State of the Gaza Strip Border Crossings 01 – 30 June 2020
During the reporting period, the Israeli authorities continued to impose closure on the Gaza Strip for the 13th consecutive year and placed tightened restrictions on movement of Gaza Strip residents. The Israeli authorities continued to control entry and exit for pedestrians from and into the Gaza Strip at the Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing, with exceptions to limited categories under severe restrictions. The Israeli authorities continued to impose restrictions on the entry of goods classified as “dual-use items”,[1] which enhanced the deterioration of economic, health and educational situation in addition to the infrastructure. Furthermore, Israeli authorities continued to ban the Gaza Strip exports, except for very limited agricultural products, constituting only 7% of the total monthly Gaza exports before the closure.
The ongoing closure coincided with unprecedented developments that negatively affected the Gaza Strip residents and deepened their suffering, particularly patients in desperate need to travel and receive medical treatment abroad. The Coordination and Liaison Department in the Palestinian Ministry of Health suspended the travel coordination for the Gaza Strip patients, who are referred to hospitals in Israel or the West Bank for medical treatment[2]. As a result, hundreds of critically ill patients, whose health conditions cannot afford any delay, were deprived of travel abroad for treatment or completing the treatment protocols they had started in previous periods. The Israeli authorities bear full responsibility for the lives of Palestinian patients in the Gaza Strip who are in dire need for medical treatment abroad and face imminent death as a result of denying them access to basic medical services that are unavailable in the Gaza Strip.
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[1] Israeli authorities claim that despite the fact that these items are normally used for civilian purposes, it is possible to use them in developing the Palestinian armed groups’ military capacity.
[2] Coordination stopped pursuant to the Palestinain President’s decision on 20 May 2020 to absolve PLO and the State of Palestine’s from all treaties and agreements with the Israeli and American governments.
