Monday 18 January 2010

One year later Amnesty International says Collective punishment is prohibited

israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip constitutes collective punishment against its civilian population, Amnesty International claimed in a report released for publication Monday to mark the one year anniversary of the end of Operation Cast Lead in the coastal territory.

In the report, Amnesty calls on israel to immediately lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip. The report, entitled "Suffocating: The Gaza Strip Under Israeli Blockade," contains testimony from residents of the Strip, who say the blockade has prevented them from putting their lives back together after the offensive.

The report also criticizes israel for delaying travel permits for Gazans seeking medical treatment outside of the Strip, and says that such delays have exacted a humanitarian toll on Gazans. The report also says that the blockade is largely responsible for the 40 percent unemployment rate in Gaza.

Download Suffocating: The Gaza Strip under Israeli blockade (pdf)

The release of the report comes only days after the israeli Defense Ministry presented figures showing improvements in Gaza's humanitarian situation, noting that even during Cast Lead some 1,400 trucks carrying supplies were allowed to enter.

The Defense Ministry cited an overall 28% rise in humanitarian goods entering the Gaza Strip in 2009 over the previous year, and an increase of 125% in the number of foreign nationals allowed entry to the Strip.

The findings were presented at a conference held last Thursday by the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration, which brought together representatives from major international organizations operating in Gaza. More

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