19 may 2016
The National Anti-Siege and Reconstruction Movement Commission organized a maritime protest for Gaza patients on Wednesday morning to demand the international community to help the Palestinians have a seaport.
In a news conference attended by several kidney patients, coordinator of the commission Aladdin al-Batta called on the UN and the Red Cross to assume their legal responsibilities towards Gaza and its people.
Batta also urged them to stand by the Palestinians in their efforts to obtain their freedom and break the siege imposed on them. He called for opening sea corridors between Gaza and the outside world under the direct supervision of the UN and international human rights groups.
The coordinator affirmed that the closure of Gaza's border crossings and the restrictions on the travel of its population in Gaza led to catastrophic impacts on their lives. He pointed out that there are about 30,000 people with humanitarian cases in dire need to travel abroad.
In a news conference attended by several kidney patients, coordinator of the commission Aladdin al-Batta called on the UN and the Red Cross to assume their legal responsibilities towards Gaza and its people.
Batta also urged them to stand by the Palestinians in their efforts to obtain their freedom and break the siege imposed on them. He called for opening sea corridors between Gaza and the outside world under the direct supervision of the UN and international human rights groups.
The coordinator affirmed that the closure of Gaza's border crossings and the restrictions on the travel of its population in Gaza led to catastrophic impacts on their lives. He pointed out that there are about 30,000 people with humanitarian cases in dire need to travel abroad.
17 may 2016
The Israeli Shin Bet on Monday prevented journalist Khaldun Madlum from traveling through al-Karama border crossing between Palestine and Jordan.
Journalist Madlum, from Quds Press, was en route to Jordan to travel from there to Turkey, where he was delegated to participate in the Palestine International Forum for Media and Communication – Tawasol.
The journalist said that an Israeli officer took his passport and made him wait for about four hours at the crossing.
Later, the officer told him he was banned from traveling, without giving any reason for the measure.
For its part, Quds Press strongly denounced the Israeli measure against Madlum and described it as part of Israel's persistent violations against the Palestinian media and its restrictions on the freedom of movement.
The news agency appealed to human rights groups to pressure Israel to respect the freedom of the press and its international obligations towards human rights, affirming that its journalist was going to Turkey to attend and cover the conference.
Journalist Madlum, from Quds Press, was en route to Jordan to travel from there to Turkey, where he was delegated to participate in the Palestine International Forum for Media and Communication – Tawasol.
The journalist said that an Israeli officer took his passport and made him wait for about four hours at the crossing.
Later, the officer told him he was banned from traveling, without giving any reason for the measure.
For its part, Quds Press strongly denounced the Israeli measure against Madlum and described it as part of Israel's persistent violations against the Palestinian media and its restrictions on the freedom of movement.
The news agency appealed to human rights groups to pressure Israel to respect the freedom of the press and its international obligations towards human rights, affirming that its journalist was going to Turkey to attend and cover the conference.
14 may 2016
Palestinian lawmaker Marwan Abu Ras, from Hamas, has said that the Palestinian people has the right to build a seaport in the Gaza Strip and be open to the world.
"The port is a humanitarian and natural right for the Gaza people, especially in light of the tight blockade," MP Abu Ras stated during his Friday khutba (sermon) in Gaza.
"We could not see the suffering of our children and patients getting worse and then stand by watching. We need the port regardless of any position, and our resistance must get itself prepared to achieve this goal," he said.
The lawmaker also demanded Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing permanently, affirming that the Palestinians in Gaza want all the best for Egypt. He warned against a popular explosion against the occupation if the blockade on Gaza continued.
"The port is a humanitarian and natural right for the Gaza people, especially in light of the tight blockade," MP Abu Ras stated during his Friday khutba (sermon) in Gaza.
"We could not see the suffering of our children and patients getting worse and then stand by watching. We need the port regardless of any position, and our resistance must get itself prepared to achieve this goal," he said.
The lawmaker also demanded Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing permanently, affirming that the Palestinians in Gaza want all the best for Egypt. He warned against a popular explosion against the occupation if the blockade on Gaza continued.
13 may 2016
Dozens of Palestinian farmers protested in Deir Estiya town north of Salfit on Friday against Israeli continued restrictions imposed on their access to their agricultural lands.
The participants held Palestinian flags and chanted slogans calling for the opening of agricultural roads in order to enter their lands.
The protesters called for removing Israeli barriers that prevent their access to their farms.
The participants held Palestinian flags and chanted slogans calling for the opening of agricultural roads in order to enter their lands.
The protesters called for removing Israeli barriers that prevent their access to their farms.
The Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border terminal with Gaza Strip on Thursday night after two days of conditional opening for emergency cases.
Local sources said that the crossing was closed after two buses loaded with passengers managed to cross and two others for those listed by the Egyptian authorities.
They added that 800 passengers managed to enter the besieged enclave on Thursday. The sources noted that the Egyptians allowed entry of truckloads of cement and wood for the private sector in the Strip during those two days.
Egypt opened the crossing on Wednesday and Thursday after 85 days of closure. Thousands of patients, holders of foreign residence permits, and students are still waiting for their turn to leave the Strip.
Local sources said that the crossing was closed after two buses loaded with passengers managed to cross and two others for those listed by the Egyptian authorities.
They added that 800 passengers managed to enter the besieged enclave on Thursday. The sources noted that the Egyptians allowed entry of truckloads of cement and wood for the private sector in the Strip during those two days.
Egypt opened the crossing on Wednesday and Thursday after 85 days of closure. Thousands of patients, holders of foreign residence permits, and students are still waiting for their turn to leave the Strip.
The Israeli occupation authority has banned eight Palestinian journalists from traveling under security pretexts since the beginning of the current year, the Palestinian committee for the support of journalists said.
In a press release on Thursday, the committee accused Israel of banning the travel of journalists to punish them and restrict their work.
Last January, Israeli Shin Bet officers prevented 31-year-old Anas Dar Abed, working for a local magazine, from traveling through al-Karama crossing, according to the committee.
Two other journalists were also denied travel in February, including photojournalist Imad Nassar, from Gaza, who was banned from traveling to the UAE after he won the title of the best photographer in 2015 in a contest organized in Sharjah.
During the same month, the Shin Bet barred journalist Mohamed Abu Fayadh from crossing from Gaza to the West Bank. Five other journalists from Gaza and the West Bank were also prevented from travel through different crossings in March, April and May.
In a press release on Thursday, the committee accused Israel of banning the travel of journalists to punish them and restrict their work.
Last January, Israeli Shin Bet officers prevented 31-year-old Anas Dar Abed, working for a local magazine, from traveling through al-Karama crossing, according to the committee.
Two other journalists were also denied travel in February, including photojournalist Imad Nassar, from Gaza, who was banned from traveling to the UAE after he won the title of the best photographer in 2015 in a contest organized in Sharjah.
During the same month, the Shin Bet barred journalist Mohamed Abu Fayadh from crossing from Gaza to the West Bank. Five other journalists from Gaza and the West Bank were also prevented from travel through different crossings in March, April and May.
12 may 2016
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Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip for the second day in a row on Thursday, after an 85-day closure.
The Gaza crossings committee said that 443 Palestinians were able to enter Egypt on Wednesday, while an untold number of Palestinians stuck abroad were able to re-enter the Gaza Strip. Seven buses and several ambulances were also admitted through the crossing during the day, according to the committee. Priority was given to Egyptian passport holders, humanitarian cases, students, and Palestinians with foreign residency. Egyptian authorities also allowed cement trucks to enter the Palestinian side via the crossing. |
The Gaza Ministry of Interior said on Wednesday that the two-day opening was too short a time to process the more than 30,000 passengers registered to cross and waiting for their turn, including humanitarian cases, students who attend schools abroad, patients in need of treatment outside of Gaza, and visa holders who live and work abroad.
Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip for the majority of the past three years, since the ouster of President Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.
The nearly nine-year Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty. The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip for the majority of the past three years, since the ouster of President Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.
The nearly nine-year Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty. The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shokri strongly refused the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call for permanently opening Rafah crossing.
In a press conference held in New York, Shokri said that Israel is the main party responsible for the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods for the people of Gaza.
Egypt will reopen Rafah crossing when acute humanitarian relief is required, he said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had earlier urged both Israel and Egypt to ensure the free flow of goods and people in and out of Gaza, saying that he would like to see the complete opening of all Gaza crossings and an improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah crossing on Wednesday evening, the same day as authorities announced its opening for two days. Egypt closed the crossing after only 443 Palestinians were allowed to enter Egypt for humanitarian purposes or were allowed admission as a result of holding Egyptian passports.
On Thursday, the Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip for the second day in a row, after an 85-day closure. The Gaza crossings and border authority said that the border crossing was opened at 10 a.m. to allow the travel of an untold number of Palestinian passengers.
Gaza authorities indicated that over 30,000 people, including around 9,500 patients and 2,700 students, are registered and waiting to cross and are only allowed to pass through Egypt.
In a press conference held in New York, Shokri said that Israel is the main party responsible for the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods for the people of Gaza.
Egypt will reopen Rafah crossing when acute humanitarian relief is required, he said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had earlier urged both Israel and Egypt to ensure the free flow of goods and people in and out of Gaza, saying that he would like to see the complete opening of all Gaza crossings and an improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah crossing on Wednesday evening, the same day as authorities announced its opening for two days. Egypt closed the crossing after only 443 Palestinians were allowed to enter Egypt for humanitarian purposes or were allowed admission as a result of holding Egyptian passports.
On Thursday, the Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip for the second day in a row, after an 85-day closure. The Gaza crossings and border authority said that the border crossing was opened at 10 a.m. to allow the travel of an untold number of Palestinian passengers.
Gaza authorities indicated that over 30,000 people, including around 9,500 patients and 2,700 students, are registered and waiting to cross and are only allowed to pass through Egypt.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged both Israel and Egypt to ensure the free flow in and out of Gaza, saying that he would like to see the complete opening of all Gaza crossings and an improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The statement came during a press conference held on Wednesday in New York by Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
"What we would like to see is an improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, and that would mean for humanitarian cases, for students, people who need medical help to be able to leave Gaza to seek treatment," Dujarric said.
Today, Egypt opened the Rafah crossing with Gaza in both directions for two days. The crossing was opened after 85 consecutive days being closed — the longest such period since 2007, he added, pointing out that the crossing has been opened partially for 42 days since October 2014.
He quoted Gaza authorities as indicating that over 30,000 people, including around 9,500 medical cases and 2,700 students, are registered and waiting to cross and are only allowed to pass through Egypt.
“We obviously welcome this opening, which may hopefully provide some relief to the people enclosed in Gaza, exacerbated by the long-standing blockade. We also encourage Egypt to expand the opening both in time and in volume, and include a flow of much-needed assistance.”
The statement came during a press conference held on Wednesday in New York by Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
"What we would like to see is an improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, and that would mean for humanitarian cases, for students, people who need medical help to be able to leave Gaza to seek treatment," Dujarric said.
Today, Egypt opened the Rafah crossing with Gaza in both directions for two days. The crossing was opened after 85 consecutive days being closed — the longest such period since 2007, he added, pointing out that the crossing has been opened partially for 42 days since October 2014.
He quoted Gaza authorities as indicating that over 30,000 people, including around 9,500 medical cases and 2,700 students, are registered and waiting to cross and are only allowed to pass through Egypt.
“We obviously welcome this opening, which may hopefully provide some relief to the people enclosed in Gaza, exacerbated by the long-standing blockade. We also encourage Egypt to expand the opening both in time and in volume, and include a flow of much-needed assistance.”
11 may 2016
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Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah crossing on Wednesday evening, the same day as authorities announced an opening for a two-day period on Wednesday morning which expected the passage of thousands of Palestinians following 85 days of closure.
The Gaza Crossings Committee said Egypt closed the crossing after 443 Palestinians entered Egypt for humanitarian purposes or were allowed admission as a result of holding Egyptian passports. Seven buses and several ambulances were admitted through the crossing during the day, according to the committee. The committee added that the Rafah crossing is still open for those entering the besieged Gaza Strip. |
The reasons for the closure and its duration remains unclear.
The Gaza Ministry of Interior had said earlier on Wednesday that two days of opening the crossing was already too short a time to process the more than 30,000 passengers waiting for their turn, including humanitarian cases, students who attend schools abroad, patients in need of treatment outside of Gaza, and visa holders who live and work abroad.
Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip for the majority of the past three years, since the ouster of President Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.
The nearly nine-year Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty. The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
Egypt reopens Rafah crossing for 2 days as 30,000 Gazans await their turn to leave
Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing at the border with besieged Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning after 85 days of closure, for a two-day period which Gaza officials have said is insufficient to address the needs of people in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The Gaza crossing and border authority confirmed that the Rafah terminal would operate in both directions on Wednesday and Thursday, adding that people from across the Gaza Strip had started to gather in the southern city of Khan Yunis near Rafah ahead of the opening.
Passengers were being checked in at Khan Yunis’ Abu Yousif al-Najjar sports center and sent in buses to Rafah in order to avoid overcrowding at the crossing’s passenger hall.
Egyptian authorities requested that the first two buses carry holders of Egyptian passports, after which priority should be given to passengers who had been waiting for their turn the last time the crossing was opened, in February.
The Gaza Ministry of Interior said that the two-day opening was too short to process the more than 30,000 passengers waiting for their turn, including humanitarian cases, students who attend schools abroad, patients in need of treatment outside of Gaza, and visa holders who live and work abroad.
Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip for the majority of the past three years, since the ouster of President Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.
The nearly nine-year Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty. The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
The Gaza Ministry of Interior had said earlier on Wednesday that two days of opening the crossing was already too short a time to process the more than 30,000 passengers waiting for their turn, including humanitarian cases, students who attend schools abroad, patients in need of treatment outside of Gaza, and visa holders who live and work abroad.
Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip for the majority of the past three years, since the ouster of President Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.
The nearly nine-year Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty. The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
Egypt reopens Rafah crossing for 2 days as 30,000 Gazans await their turn to leave
Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing at the border with besieged Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning after 85 days of closure, for a two-day period which Gaza officials have said is insufficient to address the needs of people in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The Gaza crossing and border authority confirmed that the Rafah terminal would operate in both directions on Wednesday and Thursday, adding that people from across the Gaza Strip had started to gather in the southern city of Khan Yunis near Rafah ahead of the opening.
Passengers were being checked in at Khan Yunis’ Abu Yousif al-Najjar sports center and sent in buses to Rafah in order to avoid overcrowding at the crossing’s passenger hall.
Egyptian authorities requested that the first two buses carry holders of Egyptian passports, after which priority should be given to passengers who had been waiting for their turn the last time the crossing was opened, in February.
The Gaza Ministry of Interior said that the two-day opening was too short to process the more than 30,000 passengers waiting for their turn, including humanitarian cases, students who attend schools abroad, patients in need of treatment outside of Gaza, and visa holders who live and work abroad.
Egypt has upheld an Israeli military blockade on the Gaza Strip for the majority of the past three years, since the ouster of President Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.
The nearly nine-year Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty. The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) imposed a hermetic closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the occasion of Israel’s celebration of its establishment in what the Palestinians call Nakba (catastrophe).
The closure, from Tuesday night till dawn Friday, coincides with Israel’s 68th establishment anniversary on the land of Palestine and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the process.
The Israeli TV 2 Channel said that all West Bank crossings will be closed in that period along with the Karm Abu Salem and Erez crossings with Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in 1948 occupied Palestine, Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the diaspora commemorate the same occasion on May 15 under the name of Nakba to assert their right to their homeland and the right of refugees to return to their villages and cities from which they were driven out by force.
The closure, from Tuesday night till dawn Friday, coincides with Israel’s 68th establishment anniversary on the land of Palestine and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the process.
The Israeli TV 2 Channel said that all West Bank crossings will be closed in that period along with the Karm Abu Salem and Erez crossings with Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in 1948 occupied Palestine, Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the diaspora commemorate the same occasion on May 15 under the name of Nakba to assert their right to their homeland and the right of refugees to return to their villages and cities from which they were driven out by force.
Israeli occupation forces will close Karm Abu Salem crossing on Wednesday and Thursday under the pretext of Jewish holidays, manager of the crossing Munir al-Ghalban revealed.
In a statement to the PIC, Ghalban said on Tuesday that the closure of the crossing will last until Saturday evening and will be opened again on Sunday morning.
Karm Abu Salem crossing is the only pathway of entering goods and humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip in light of the Israeli closure of all other crossings except for Erez crossing which is allocated for the travel of passengers.
In a statement to the PIC, Ghalban said on Tuesday that the closure of the crossing will last until Saturday evening and will be opened again on Sunday morning.
Karm Abu Salem crossing is the only pathway of entering goods and humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip in light of the Israeli closure of all other crossings except for Erez crossing which is allocated for the travel of passengers.