24 Jan 2008 Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme are deeply concerned at these humanitarian sanctions, which have rendered the Gaza Strip deeply vulnerable to any future measures.
We call upon the International community to intervene for the consistent protection of the civilian population of Gaza in the long term.
According to the most recent information collated by the World Health Organization and other UN agencies, Gaza crossing points Kerem Shalom, Sufa, Karni and Erez have remained closed since Friday, 19 January.
Despite the fact that since the 22nd of January a limited amount of supplies, including medical supplies, was permitted to enter the Gaza Strip, Israeli policy is to keep the crossings permanently closed except to answer emergency needs.
The Gaza-Egypt border remained open for the second day and Gazans are still going back and forth between Gaza and Al Arish, which is about 70Km south of Rafah, in the Sinai Peninsula.
Since the way from Al Arish to the rest of Egypt is currently blocked, it is as yet unclear whether any patients have succeeded in accessing medical care in Cairo as a result.
Erez Crossing has been closed to all residents of Gaza except urgent humanitarian cases.
In the past three days the average number of patients to exit Gaza for care was fifteen.
Although Gaza’s central power plant has resumed functioning after partial renewal of fuel supplies, electricity is still cut for several consecutive hours each day.
The Gaza European Hospital and Nasser hospital in southern Gaza have declared an emergency status due to depletion of their generators’ fuel reserves; during electricity cuts all departments except the ICU and the operating room are closed.
The 56 Primary Health Care facilities in Gaza also suffer as a result of the electricity cuts, 26 because they have no generators, and 19 others due to depletion of their generators’ fuel reserves.
In addition, over the past ten days, over forty people have been killed by Israeli military operations.
On January 18th, a government office was targeted near a wedding party, leading to dozens of injuries to innocent civilians, and the death of a woman inside her home.
This combination of siege and attack have led to a significant rise of burdens on Palestinian civilians and families, as well as an emergence of a new wave of feelings of panic, anger, suppression and helplessness.
Israeli government officials have declared that these collective measures are designed to exert political pressure on the civilian population of Gaza in order to end the rule of Hamas.
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme Emphatically condemn the Israeli indiscriminate military attacks on Gaza, which cause death and harm to civilians.
Emphatically condemn the intentional and collective denial of the most basic needs essential to life in Gaza, which has a punitive character contrary to Israel's obligations under international law.
Emphatically condemn the exploitation by Israel of protected persons for political ends.
The most recent declarations of the government indicate that its use of the term “security” as a justification for its acts is cynical and manipulative.
Call urgently upon the international community to compel the State of Israel to desist immediately from these blatant violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and to recognize and fulfill its responsibilities as an occupying power.
Call upon Israel to immediately ensure reliable and permanent passage routes for goods and persons in order to re-activate all spheres of the Gaza economy, including the health system.
Call for immediate withdrawal by Israel of its military forces and all aspects of effective control from the Gaza Strip.
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme are deeply concerned at these humanitarian sanctions, which have rendered the Gaza Strip deeply vulnerable to any future measures.
We call upon the International community to intervene for the consistent protection of the civilian population of Gaza in the long term.
For further details please contact:
PHR-Israel: Miri Weingarten, miri@phr.
org.
il , 00 972 546 995199
Al Mezan: Mahmoud Abu Rahma, mahmoud@mezan.
org, 00970 8 2820447/2
GCMHP: Husam El-Nounou, pr1@gcmhp.
net, 00970 82825700/10 mobile 00970 599862595.