The Israeli blockade of Gaza has caused paralysis to most public institutions and private enterprises.
This includes the education, health, employment, agriculture, trade, transportation sectors in the Gaza Strip.
Paralysis also hit the government, non-government and private institutions.
UNRWA's operations have also started to be affected.
The blockade poses serious threats on the provision of humanitarian supplies; on which Gaza's population depends completely to sustain their livelihood.
Al Mezan monitoring shows a gradual aggravation of the fuel crisis, and of its effects which began to inflict upon all aspects of life; raising concerns that the crisis brings about graver implications on the livelihood and welfare of the civilian population.
This crisis comes at a time when Gaza already suffers from a severe shortage in different supplies and lacks any reserves that can sustain its population, which is the result of years of Israeli closure.
Today, Al Mezan observed a near complete suspension of vehicular movement, which affects many human rights; including to life, health, food, education and employment.
Al Mezan believes that the IOF took steady steps that exacerbated the situation to this extent without drawing attention to it.
Now, patient's access to hospitals has become extremely difficult with requesting ambulance assistance extremely difficult.
The lack of fuel at hospitals has pushed them to restrict the movement of ambulances, which move only in top emergency cases; such as those who are injured from IOF attacks.
This disruption in ambulance movement comes along with escalation of in IOF's military operations in Gaza, which increased the number of victims this month.
The IOF killed 59 Palestinians, including 15 children, and injured 105, in Gaza in April 2008 alone.
This brings the number of those killed by IOF in Gaza since the beginning of this year to 340.
Although the IOF allow reduced amounts of food and medicine to enter Gaza, Al Mezan fears that the distributers; including humanitarian agencies like UNRWA, will not be able to operate and transport these materials into Gaza.
In particularly, UNRWA, which has already started to the movement of its personnel and vehicles owing to the lack of fuel, will not be able to send aid materials to poor people.
This will only exacerbate the crisis suffered by the population and to increase already high level of malnutrition; especially among children and mothers.
In addition, there is a continued threat of electricity cuts in Gaza as the power generating station can only work when IOF allow industrial diesel to enter through Israeli crossings.
Electricity cuts pose serious dangers to life and wellbeing, for without it basic services such as water will stop.
The ability of local authorities to supply the population with water has reached a minimal level.
In some areas, people have water pumped to their homes for as little as two hours every four days.
It has been observed that garbage is spread in Gaza's streets because local authorities can no more move garbage collection vehicles.
This problem raises serious concerns about air and environment pollution that harms public health.
Under the current low capacity of the health sector to handle regular healthcare owing to shortages in medical supplies and spare parts, this situation poses more risks on life and wellbeing.
Al Mezan's field information indicates that Gazans suffer from shortages in vegetables, which cannot reach the market, or have become too expensive.
Gaza used to be self-sufficient; even exported vegetables to the West Bank and Israel in the past.
The current crisis sparked serious price inflation.
The price of one kilogram of tomatoes, for example, has now exceeded $2; a very high price at a time when unemployment and poverty are so spread among the population.
As far as education is concerned, universities announced that they would resume their work on 23 April 2008; eight days after suspending their work.
Hundreds of students and employees were seen in taxi stations and crossroads waiting for a lift.
Most people walked long distances from home to taxi stations.
However, only few taxis have fuel to move.
Those are forced to carry double their regular load.
Al Mezan field workers also reported that schools have been affected by the lack of fuel.
As many as 20% children and teachers cannot reach their schools.
Those are only those who live farther than a walking distance from school.
With the exception of industrial diesel that is used for power generation only, the amount of fuel IOF allowed into Gaza during April has not exceeded the amount it allowed to enter in three days.
In April, the IOF allowed 1,306,410 liters of regular diesel; only 25% of the average amount allowed in during 2008.
It also allowed 13,500 liters of benzene; less than the amount Gaza used to buy in one day in the past.
No white diesel was allowed to enter Gaza this month.
And, finally, 2,059 tons of cooking gas was allowed in; representing 35% of the previous rates.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns strongly the IOF escalation of collective punishment of Gaza by reducing, and now preventing, the supply of fuel it allows into Gaza.
These measures infringe upon the enjoyment of human rights in serious ways, and are therefore contrary to the protections afforded by international humanitarian law (IHL) for civilians living under alien occupation and conflict.
Al Mezan also condemns the use of collective punishment of civilians, and violation of their rights, as a tool of political pressure.
Al Mezan calls on the international community to take a position regarding the human rights and humanitarian situation in Gaza; at the core of which is the obligation on every state to respect international law and human rights standards.
The international community bears an obligation to exert pressure on Israel to stop the collective punishment policy and grave breaches of IHL, which pose imminent dangers on civilians' life their property.
Al Mezan reasserts that all forms of collective punishment are prohibited under the rules of humanitarian law, which obliges any power that maintains effective control over any occupied territory to provide for the basic needs of the civilian population of that territory; and not to prevent them from ensuring their needs by themselves.
The violation of these norms qualifies as s grave breach of IHL; therefore creating an international obligation to act to stop them and to ensure protection of civilians.
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